The Daughter He Barely Knew
by DragonLover43
Summary: Sirius Black went to prison for a crime he did not commit. Leaving behind a pregnant wife and unborn daughter. This is the story of Sirius' daughter, her life, interactions with her father and godbrother, and the fun adventures at Hogwarts. (This is written and transferred from another site. Writing flaws are improved in later chapters.)
1. Prologue

Sirius Black sat with his pregnant wife, Adrianna, leaning on her for support. He'd recently returned from Godric's Hollow and been informed by Hagrid that Lily and James, parents of his young, green-eyed godson, had been murdered. A swirling mass of emotion tangled themselves up, polar opposites of each other.

"Hunt Wormtail down...Make him PAY for what he's done," said one voice, fiery, furious, and fuming. He called that one Primal.

"No. Let the Ministry handle it," said another voice; Logic, he guessed.. "They'll do what's best, surely. They won't let this injustice reign."

"Fuck the Ministry! That bastard killed James and Lily!" shrieked the angry voice. Sirius had to admit, hunting down Pettigrew seemed more and more appealing. "The Ministry doesn't know that Pettigrew's an Animagus. Only three people knew that, and now that number is down to two: you and Lupin. Lupin probably won't get involved, or he hasn't been informed of James' passing yet...Of his murder." Primal's voice had begun to snarl, sounding more animalistic, much like Lupin when he changed during the full moon. Or when he himself changed into the black dog.

He sat up, using a sleeve to clear his face of tears and snot. He stood up and without turning said, "I'm gonna go for a walk. Don't worry, I'll bring my wand for protection."

"Well, alright, but don't do anything stupid, okay? I don't want to lose you, Sirius," Adrianna said. She rubbed her swollen belly. "Neither of us do."

He couldn't help but smile a little. He bent down as he turned toward her. He rubbed her belly and gave her a kiss. "I promise you, I won't do anything otherworldly stupid, okay?" he said. "I'll be home soon."

"You'd better not be going after You-Know-Who, or Pettigrew, Sirius," she warned.

He chuckled. "The Ministry doesn't know he's an Animagus. The only ones who do are Lupin and I now," he reminded her. She caressed his cheek, sweeping a thumb over it as her hand cupped his jaw. His heart turned over. Maybe he shouldn't leave. He could stay here, just let the Ministry investigate, like she'd said.

"No! We are going out there! And we're gonna hunt that son of a bitch down and make him suffer for every waking moment of the rest of his miserable life for what he did!" Primal raged.

"But-!" Logic piped up. A wave of Primal shot it down, hot and aggressive. He tightened his grip on his want and set out.


	2. Chapter 1

Adrianna stood in the courtroom, dumbfounded. She could understand why the Ministry would think Sirius had betrayed James and Lily; he'd been their Secret Keeper since You-Know-Who targeted them. But the thought that he would actually be arrested was absurd to her.

His eyes found her and widened. She looked down. _Oh right,_ she thought. She looked up and rubbed her stomach and quickly made the cradling signal, showing that their child was alright. He blinked.

"Sirius Black," said the Minister of Magic. She'd met him once, but didn't know his name. "You betrayed the Potters and murdered Peter Pettigrew and twenty innocent bystanders. Do you have anything to say for yourself before your sentence is read?"

"Sentence? I thought I was going to be given a trial," he said, confusion and fear on his face and in his voice.

"Hm. Well, Pettigrew, before his death, proclaimed that it was you who betrayed the Potters and you are also their Secret Keeper-"

"I applied to have that changed. James and Lily-"

"No such application was received. As punishment for these crimes we sentence you to life in Azkaban." There was a murmur of ascent.  
Adrianna's stomach lurched. This couldn't possibly be happening. No way.

"What?! No! I did nothing wrong! I would never betray James or Lily!" Sirius yelled. His cries were drowned out as the crowd grew restless. They lost sight of each other in the thrashing mob.

Pettigrew's family confronted Adrianna outside the court.

"You should be ashamed to call yourself that man's wife," his mother snarled.

"He did nothing wrong," she tried to say.

"Did nothing wrong? Pah! He bloody well did do something wrong! He went to You-Know-Who and ratted his friends out, then killed Peter," choked his sister.

"What? No, Sirius would never-"

"Stop trying to defend him. It doesn't become you. You'll find someone better than him." The look they all gave her made her shrink in on herself.

"He did nothing wrong," she repeated in a quiet, almost inaudible voice. They turned and walked off. She made her way out and to St. Mungo's where her and Sirius' daughter, Agatha Paige Black, lay in an incubator to help her developing body continue to flourish. She leaned over the little bundle. "Your daddy didn't do anything wrong," she whispered to her little smush-faced bundle of joy.

* * *

Adrianna raised a trembling hand and knocked on the door at number 4 Privet Drive. Petunia Dursley, her long-time friend, opened it and immediately flushed.

"Adrie, you can't be here right now. Vernon is in a towering fury," she said. Enraged shouting could be heard.

"You know I wouldn't ask more of you, Petunia," Adrianna said. "But would you and Vernon mind looking after my daughter Agatha for a while? Just until she comes of age, and then she'll be alright on her own." The young mother looked down at her five-year-old daughter, who looked up in concern and confusion.

Petunia pinched her lips tightly together then disappeared. Vernon took her place after a few moments of sudden quiet.

"What do you want?" he demanded, pumpkin-like face just slightly purple.

"I just need you to look after Agatha for a while," she said, not backing down from him. "Please, Vernon, I-" She looked down at Agatha and beckoned him closer. "I don't have much time left and she has no other relatives. I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't think of an alternative."

Vernon grumbled, kicked at the ground, then grabbed the little trunk beside the young girl. "She'd better not give any trouble or she's out. You know the kind of trouble I'm talking about. We don't need anything out of the ordinary in this perfectly normal house."

"She won't cause any trouble," she said. She knelt down and looked her little girl in the eyes. "You be good, okay?"

"Okay, Momma," she said. Her cute little face was interrupted somewhat by her father's nose. "When will you be back from your trip?"

"I, uh." She took a deep breath. "I'll be gone a long time okay? You just keep your gift to yourself, okay?"

"Okay," she said, nodding. She hugged her mother. "Love you, Momma."

She hugged her daughter back, almost painfully tight. "I love you too, sweetie."

"Too tight!" whined Agatha.

"Sorry," her mother said, not releasing any pressure. "You be good, now, you hear? They'll be writing to me and letting me know if you've been bad." She held her daughter at arm's length. "If you're bad they'll send you to their cellar and not let you out."

Fear etched itself on the young girl's face. "Kay," she whispered. The last she saw of her mother was the door closing on the rapidly darkening street. Just before the door shut, a faint glow brightened the door frame just slightly.


	3. Chapter 2

Agatha, or Paige as she preferred, was quite excited as she skipped happily towards Privet Drive. She'd spent the day helping out a friend, Todd, at the junkyard he ran. He'd even treated her to a lolly and a frozen treat she planned on sneaking to Harry.

He'd even given her five pounds for her days work. She stopped at the corner and put on her best, I'm-so-tired-and-had-no-fun-today face she could before slumping her shoulders and dragging her feet as she turned onto Privet Drive. She slogged up to number 4 and knocked. When Petunia answered she put the five pounds into the outstretched hand and kicked off her shoes before dragging herself upstairs to the room she shared with Harry. There was a curtain dividing their beds, making it look more like a hospital room except the owl cage occupied by a large, beautiful snowy owl.

"Hello, Hedwig," she said tiredly, petting the nearest wing through the cage. The owl opened her eyes and swiveled her head, facing her sleep disruption. "Hey, Harry."

"Hey," he said, looking quite forlorn as he looked out the newly caged window. She gave him a half-smile as she closed the door. He and Hedwig both looked at her as she pulled out the plastic wrapped frozen treat Todd had given her.

"For you," she said handing it to him. Hedwig rustled her feathers loudly, masking the noise.

"Thanks," he said as he accepted it. He unwrapped it as quietly as he could before licking it appreciatively. "Todd work you hard today?"

"Yup," she said with a heavy sigh, sitting on her bed beside him. "Any plans on how you're gonna get out of this prison?"

He snickered. "None yet," he said between licks.

"If you do manage to get out, can you see if they'd accept someone more than willing to learn?"

"Er... I don't think it can be learned. I'm pretty sure you have to be born with it." Harry's tone suddenly was awkward, just as the air between them was. "But Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster at my school, said that he wouldn't be surprised if you had certain gifts or talents like me."

"So there's still hope for me?" Her face rose to follow a hummingbird.

"There's hope for everyone, I think," he said nudging her playfully.

She blinked. Did the hummingbird just nod? Her eyebrows furrowed and she squinted.

"What? What's up?"

"Are-Did that hummingbird just nod? Or am I just crazy?" she said.

"Hm..." Harry wrapped up the treat and set it on the windowsill as he opened the window a bit more. He held out the melting treat and the tiny creature lapped some of the sweet liquid before zipping off. "Well with the introduction of-" He cast a quick glance to their bedroom door and dropping his voice to a whisper to say "magic" before resuming his usual speaking level. "I'd say anything's really possible. In fact, not much would surprise me anymore."


	4. Chapter 3

That night, Harry took the bed by the window, though usually she slept there so she could be close to the moonlight. It was when she felt closest to her mother, who she still missed terribly, though was beginning to suspect the "business trip" was more permanent than she dared admit. A stifled yelp woke her late at night. She sat up and looked over, groggily.

"What's up?" she murmured. Harry pulled the curtain back and she scrambled backwards off the bed. There were three people sitting in a car that she could not for the life of her explain...until she got to her feet and went over to the window, looking out and at the ground about ten feet below. Her jaw dropped.

"Hiya, Harry!" greeted the smallest boy, a friend, she hoped. "Who's this?"

"This is Agatha Paige, who we all call Paige," Harry said. "Now what are you three doing here?"

"Nice to meet you, Paige," they all said quietly. Addressing Harry they said, "We're here to rescue you and bring you back to the Burrow."

"Th-the what?" Paige asked, completely confused.

"Our home," said one of the older boys. "Now wrap this around the bars-"

"-and stand clear!" hissed the other boy, twins, she realized.

"Alright, but if this wakes the Dursley's we're dead! All of us. Also, might want to kill the lights. I think Mrs. Figg might see them and look," she said.

"Good idea," said one twin. He flicked a switch and the lights went dead. "Where's your stuff, Harry?"

"Locked in the cupboard under the stairs. But the bedroom door's locked too. They only unlock it so she can go work in the junkyard owned by a Muggle named Todd Skinks," Harry replied.

"Right, Fred, you jump into the backseat and get ready to jump." With a nod, the twin not driving hopped over the front seat and landed in a crouched position, ready to spring. "Get back you two!" The warning came a moment before the engine revved and the vehicle lurched forward, ripping the bars off with a couple sharp jerks.

Fred cleared the distance and slipped in the window easily. He produced something that took a second to realize was a hairpin. Paige raised an eyebrow quizzically, baffled. Then he began working on the door while Harry started passing stuff out through the window.

"Hey, that's _my_ book. What are you thinking, Harry?" she griped pulling the book back from him. Its cover was worn in several places and covered in a brown canvas. It had obviously been rebound and had been sitting comfortably in the top drawer of their shared night stand. He took the bottom drawer.  
Harry grabbed a fistful of canvas and pulled. With the sound of ripping fabric, which caused her fear for the Dursley's awakening to overpower her outrage that he'd just destroyed something of hers. When no other noise other than the idling of the car was heard she turned and glared at him. Her face fell slack with shock.

" _Encyclopedia of Mythical and Magical Forces and Entities_ ," Harry read. "Where did you get this?"

"My mother gave it to me. She said that I wasn't to show it to anyone because it was a powerful book full of secrets that must be kept. I didn't-I swear I didn't know it was a book on magic," she gasped. At a sharp intake of breath, she covered her mouth. She looked with a frightened expression at the book, then at Harry, then towards Dudley's bedroom.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked concerned.

"Dudley saw me reading it one time. He and I thought it was a fantasy book," she whispered just over the idling car.

"Then you're coming with us," Fred said coming back through the door with a grunt. He had Harry's trunk over one shoulder and a broom with odd metal pieces sticking out the side.

Paige looked at him, both excited and suspicious. "Really?"

"You can explain to our Mum and Dad where you got it and what you know about it," George said from the front seat.

"Alright. What will I need to bring?"

"Just the clothes on your back should do, and anything you can grab quickly," said the youngest red-headed boy. "My name's Ron, by the way."

"Pleased to meet you," she said. Turning to Harry she clutched the book to her chest and nodded at Hedwig who had awoken in the chaos and was now staring wide-eyed at them all, her head on a swivel.

Harry went over to her cage and picked it up, preparing to hand her out to Ron when she hooted loudly in alarm as she was thrown against the metal bars.

Vernon Dursley was awake in a shot. He pounded up the stairs, roaring at the top of his lungs about "that ruddy owl!"

Harry and Paige exchanged glances. "Run," they said in unison. She vaulted the beds, throwing the curtain at the doorway. Vernon had to fight through the fabric before spotting them getting in the car, Harry having helped her in first.

"PETUNIA!" he bellowed, sounding like a goat in distress, she found. "THEY'RE GETTING AWAY! BOTH OF THEM!"  
Harry managed to shake off his uncle's massive, meaty hand and she and Ron both grabbed him under the arms and pulled him into the vehicle. There was precious little room as it was, and with her it felt overcrowded.

"Here, climb over the seat and sit up front with us," George said.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," both twins chorused.

With a bit of difficulty, she managed to clamber over the seat and landed between them, thankful she had taken to sleeping in pajamas, not a night gown.


	5. Chapter 4

When the large mass of the Burrow first came into view, Paige gasped in alarm while Harry merely stared.

"We know it doesn't look to be the most stable thing, but it's sturdy," Fred said reassuringly.

"What that's your _house_? What the devil is holding it together?!" she squeaked.

"Magic," chorused Ron, George, and Fred.

Harry nodded having guessed it. A twinge of jealousy like the one that had taken over when Harry'd left the year previous to go to the boarding school Hogwarts. She'd wanted to go with him and get away from Petunia's constant twittering about how to sit properly, the right attire for girls, how to cook, clean, greet people, pour tea, even! Instead of being whisked away like this year, she'd been forced to glare at the empty cold bed beside hers and prepare for a school year in wretched hand-me-downs that had been stained a permanent grey. That had been the worst part: not being allowed to wear anything other than dull, dingy, monotone grey. She hated the color, and being forced into it made her despise it all the more.

"If we're lucky, we can sneak in and Mum'll be none the wiser," George said glancing nervously at the horizon where the sun was glowering at them.

"Won't she wonder where I came from and who I am?" asked Paige instead of the one she had been dreading to ask, fearful of what the answer would be: _Will I be accepted or thrown out because I'm not special?_

"Ah..." they said slowly.

"We-we can deal with that when we come to it," Fred said reassuringly.

They piled out of the car and were halfway across the yard with her clutching the book to her chest both to keep her nerves from failing her and to give her something to do. She'd offered to help carry Harry's stuff in, but had been waved off. Then they saw and heard her.

A woman not much taller than Paige herself storming out of the house and she held back, nervously squeezing the book even closer to her chest.

"Where have you been?!" raged the woman, her hair puffy and sticking out at odd angles. "Beds empty, car gone, no note? Do you have any idea how worried I've been? What were you thinking?!" Harry had stopped too and she crept up behind him, beyond anxious and clear to scared by now. "You could have been killed! You could have been _seen!_ "

"They were both trapped, Mum! There were bars on the windows," Ron piped up.

"'They'?" repeated she. Harry stepped aside just as the Weasley brothers did, exposing her.

Paige froze on the spot as their mother hurried up to her. She was trembling, though whether from the early morning chill or from fear she didn't know.

"What's your name, dear?" their mother asked in such a gentle tone that Paige began to relax.

"My name is Paige. Agatha Paige Black," she said straightening slightly, still holding her book closely to her.

The witch before her seemed to be thinking. "Daughter of Adrianna and Sirius Black?" she asked. Caught off-guard, a nod answered the question. "Well, you may as well come inside and get warm. This house is safe. What's that you have there?"

"It's all I have to remember my mother. She went away on a business trip when I was five, leaving me with her friend Petunia Dursley," Paige said. She turned it around to show the front and the title. "Mom told me it was a special book, a powerful one, that mustn't fall into the wrong hands, but must never leave the family."  
A sad look clouded the face she looked into. "My name is Molly, dear. Come now, come inside, all of you," Molly said.

She turned and ushered them all inside. "Have a spot of breakfast before you and Paige head up to bed, Harry."

"Sounds good, Mum. We're exhausted," Fred and George said. Ron mutely bobbed his head.

"Not you three. It's your own fault you were awake all night," Molly scolded. "The three of you are to degnome the garden after you get dressed and fed." A plate was set before her and Paige blinked, trying hard not to fall asleep sitting at the table.

Molly put a couple slices of buttered toast on the plates, then turned and flicked a smooth stick at some dishes that needed washing. Immediately a scrub brush, soap, and steaming water mixed and began cleaning the dishes. Her eyes must have caught Paige gawking for she smiled kindly.

Paige shook her head and turned her attention to the food in front of her. She ate until she was full then covered a yawn with a polite hand.

"The post will be arriving in a moment," Molly said absently glancing at the clock. Right on time an ancient feather duster of an owl dropped into the window frame.

"Hello, Errol. Who's this lot for?" She untied the roll of parchment then the letters and distributed them accordingly. "Here's one for you, Paige."

She started. Just like Harry's, her letter had no return address. She looked up at Molly, unsure what to make of it with her sleep-deprived brain not quite working. She opened it and quickly read the letter. She didn't really get far into it before realizing that maybe her gift wasn't such an oddity after all. Maybe she could finally feel free to be herself, instead of worried about accidentally using her gift.

"Yay! I don't have to worry about another school year with the Dursley's!" she cheered. Harry patted her on the back. "No more drab grey skirt, shirt, or tacky sweater for me!"

There was a smattering of laughter.


	6. Chapter 5

An older gentleman, whom she assumed was Molly's husband, Mr. Weasley, came in through the door and sat down in an armchair with a sigh. Harry was sitting at the breakfast bar when Mr. Weasley turned and caught sight of him.

"Hello, then," he greeted. He caught sight of something beneath Harry's bangs and sat forward with a grin. "You're Harry Potter, then?" Harry nodded and was promptly having his hand pumped enthusiastically. "Pleasure to meet you, at long last. The Boy Who Lived, in my home, wow."

Ron, through a mouthful of food, said, "And this is his friend, Paige, Dad." He chewed a bit more then continued, "We brought her here because she has a special book." Crumbs flew everywhere as he said "book." A squeak followed by thudding footsteps retreating upstairs. Paige caught the backs of heels disappearing. "''Arry, Paige, tha' was our sister, Ginny."

Paige found herself being examined by Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny's father. "Have you any magic?" he asked before a horrified look came over his face. "That was rude, I'm sorry."

"It's alright. i get asked that all the time by the Dursley's. I don't know if it counts, but I have a gift my mom said not to show anyone," she said, suddenly feeling and sounding like her five-year-old-self when she was dropped off six years prior.

"Well, you can share it with us. We won't judge," Molly said. "We're a magic family, so nothing can't be replaced."

"Okay, then, don't freak out, but, I'll show you. I don't know how to explain it, I can only show," she said. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, focusing. She pictured in her mind a cat with pretty, long, speckled fur. She felt her way mentally and heard a gasp. She opened her eyes and toppled off the stool she was sitting on, having lost her balance.

"You're an Animagus?" Molly gasped. A curious cat-Paige hopped up on the stool she had previously occupied and tilted her head. "Is that the only animal you can change into?" With a shake of a head, the cat was replaced by a Fennec fox, and a moment later, cat-Paige was replaced with fox-Paige.

She changed back into her human self and stood up from the stool. "I can turn into any animal I want. If I can see it in my mind, I can become it," she explained to the awestruck group.

"I'm Arthur, by the way," said Arthur, breaking the awed silence. Paige shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you," she said. "Fred and George said you might be interested in a book I've had since I was little."

With a curious tilt of his head, Arthur stood beside her as she set her _Encyclopedia_ on the counter. "Oooh," he said. He gave Paige a tentative look. "May I?" She nodded and stood up, letting him take her spot while staying close enough to retrieve it at a moments notice. Her nerves, and instincts were still telling her that she was an unwise twit who shouldn't let others touch the book, or even look at it.


	7. Chapter 6

After being shown a room with a couple beds, one of which was already occupied by a pretty red-headed girl who had a slightly star-struck look to her eyes, Paige stretched and tucked the _Encyclopedia_ under her pillow and climbed into bed, removing her slippers before snuggling down into the twin-sized bed and falling into a dreamless sleep.

When she woke up again about five hours later, the smell of delicious food greeted her eagerly sniffing nose. She'd shape-shifted into a fox without thinking. That had happened twice when Harry was away at Hogwarts the year previous. She'd woken up as a small bird and just barely managed to return to human form before Petunia came in to wake her.

The second time she'd woken up about an hour before any of the Dursleys and had to use the toilet. She'd made a grab for the blankets and found furry paws instead of hands. She'd changed into her human form and gone to the restroom before slipping downstairs for a drink and retreating with a small plastic cup full of water to the bedroom. She got up and stretched in the Weasley house, first as the fox she'd turned into, then standing as the human she was born.

She slipped her slippers on and ran some quick hands through her now-tangled hair. Descending the stairs, she felt herself wake up much swifter than she had when forced to drink caffeinated beverages like breakfast tea and coffee.

"Good morning," Molly greeted her. "Sleep well?"

"Like a rock," she replied. Her stomach rumbled hungrily. "What smells so good?"

"Lunch," came the answer. "The others already ate, but I was just getting a plate ready for you. I was going to bring it up, but since you're down here now, I don't need to."

"Oh, ok," said Paige sitting in the nearest chair at the table. An older boy a bit older than Fred and George came striding in with the air of importance that kind of made her grit her teeth to keep from saying anything insulting when they hadn't been introduced.

"Who are _you_?" he asked. A flash of anger, hot and painful shot through her, but she cooled it with the patience born from years of listening to Dudley whine and complain when he didn't get what he wanted.

"My name is Agatha Paige Black. Might I request that you identify _your_ self?" she said with a bit of forced politeness.

"I'm Percy Weasley, and a prefect," he said. Neither of them moved until Molly slid a plate of food over to Paige, who broke the tension by turning her attention to the food in front of her. Percy spoke to his mother. "Mum, I didn't know we were taking people in. I mean, I know Dad's kinda got a soft spot for Muggles, but really?"

"Percy!" Molly scolded. "She's got magic, and I won't be having that type of disdain in this household, young man." Paige felt a wave of smugness steal over her mixed with a fair bit of gratitude. "Apologize to her this instant."

Percy, scolded into submission, looked at Paige and said, "Sorry. That was crass and rude of me."

"Apology accepted," replied she. "So what year are you in?"

"I'm in year five this year," he said. "You? Just starting out at Hogwarts?"

"Yup. I'm kind of nervous but mostly excited," she said. "What's it like? I've asked Harry, but he was kind of vague." She snickered. "Probably because Vernon was there and he's very much anti-magic, pro-quote-unquote-normal. Heck, when we were eating breakfast about a week ago, Dudley, his cousin, demanded more bacon. Harry said something that I've heard everyone say before, 'what's the magic word' or something to that effect, and Vernon flew off the handle, screaming and yelling to the point I was kinda shocked the neighbors didn't call the police." The air in the kitchen dramatically lightened with the laughter that swam easily through the air. "I am right, though, aren't I? Manners is something that's taught not only to Muggles but also to witches and wizards?"

"Yeah, everyone learns it, I thought. Guess not everyone remembered the saying 'magic word' in connection with them," Percy said with a chuckle.


	8. Chapter 7

Molly clapped her hands once, drawing attention to her when the four boys, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George, came in from outside. "Well, we'd best be getting to Diagon Alley to do that school shopping," she said. "Ginny!" The girl Paige had seen in the room she'd slept in poked her head out from behind the balustrade, before blushing furiously and sheepishly coming out from her hiding place. "Would you mind helping Paige find robes that will fit her? She's coming with us and is going into first year with you."

A shy nod and Paige got up to follow, having finished her lunch. She stopped and turned back to Molly. "Thanks for lunch," she said. "It was delicious."

"It's no trouble, dear. Just go get ready, we'll be leaving soon," she said, waving her off.

She followed Ginny upstairs to the room she'd slept in and together they got dressed in some clothes that fit surprisingly well. Afterward, they sat on the beds facing each other.

"So you live with Harry?" Ginny asked her. She nodded, not seeing the impressiveness of living with someone. "What's he like? Does he sleep on his side? Do you know what he smells like?"

Paige gave her a very concerned look. "Are you alright? Did anyone, y'know, hit you with a spell of some sort? Harry told me that sometimes potions and spells can make a person obsess over something," she said.

"I'm fine. I just-do you not realize that he's the Boy Who Lived? The only one in the known wizarding world to have survived the Killing Curse?" she asked, an angry edge to her voice.

"Yeah, I do realize that. I just don't see what makes him so special. I've lived with him since I was five," she said. She paused and turned her head slightly, still looking at Ginny. "He ain't all that great. He has plenty of flaws, though not as many when compared to his aunt, uncle, and cousin. Oh Lordy. There's a bunch of flawed individuals." She chuckled.

"Ugh! You just don't get it!" Ginny snapped, getting up and storming out.

"What is there to get? He's just a wizard who got special praise for something he had no control over!" Paige called after her.

Ginny stopped at the bottom of the stairs and whirled on her. "Take. That. Back!" roared she.

"Why? It's a fact."

"It's true!" Harry interjected. They turned and looked at him. He seemed to have suddenly swallowed the Sahara Desert. He coughed and took a drink of pumpkin juice. "I didn't have any control over whether I lived or died. Half the time I wish I hadn't. Fame isn't all it's cracked up to be. I feel no different unless someone intentionally sets me up on a pedestal, and even then, I don't feel comfortable. I'm just trying to live my life so that Vol- er - You-Know-Who will lay off and just leave me alone."

"But, you're the _only_ one who has ever survived the Killing Curse," Ginny said, anger seeming to have suppressed her shyness.

"So? I couldn't control that. Can you control whether you were born a girl? Can you control whether you were born with your red hair? Can anyone control whether they survive something?" Molly opened her mouth. "Can you control whether you survive crashing into a wall at over fifty miles-per-hour? Without a seatbelt or airbags!"

"No," Ginny said at length in a tiny voice.

"Just once, I'd like to be 'Harry Potter, a Completely Normal, Ordinary Wizard' not 'Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived,'" Harry said. Everyone seemed to be in a sort of stupor for a bit, then gradually found their way out of it.

"Well, if that's what you want, Harry, then we'll treat you as an ordinary wizard, just like part of the family," Molly said kindly. He gave her and Paige grateful looks.

"Thanks." He looked at both of them. "Both of you."

Ginny huffed out of the room, tears clearly being held back by sheer willpower. Guilt swatted Paige on the back of the head and settled into her heart.


	9. Chapter 8

Sirius sat morosely looking out at the thrashing ocean as he remained in his tiny 8' by 10' room, just waiting for the Dementors to either take his soul or for someone to get him out of there, legally or not. He knew that his child, boy or girl, would be starting school soon, likely going to Hogwarts. The thought of a child being forced to climb aboard the Hogwarts Express alone and without a family other than his wife, caused his stomach to churn sickeningly. He remembered vividly seeing Adrianna and seeing her stomach drastically small in spite of her being six months pregnant. He had thought his child hadn't made it due to the stress his wife had gone through. He hit the wall with the side of his fist, closing his eyes in frustration and a slight feeling of despair. That's what Azkaban had turned him into: from a man with a cheeky sense of humor to an inmate, drab, dreary, and silent unless spoken to.

The only thought he had to comfort himself was this: _I'm innocent. I never betrayed James and Lily._ He turned and looked at the bars as a worker slid a tray of food to him. He sighed. The days were blurring together to the point he no longer knew what day it was, only the vaguest of grasps on the date.  
The screams of the other inmates had long faded into background noises by this point. It hardly ever stopped raining out here, in the birthplace of what he was certain must be megastorms.

* * *

After arriving in Diagon Alley through the Floo Network, which was a horrible experience, in her opinion, Paige followed the Weasley's as they searched frantically for Harry, who'd said something like "diagonally" when he'd gone through.

"Oh there's Hagrid. Maybe he can help us find-Harry!" Molly yelped. The crowd had parted and through the part, they could see Harry walking along with and talking to a man who just didn't seem natural. His height and girth was suggestive of perhaps some form of black magic. Surely he wasn't too bad because he didn't seem to get any dirty looks from the crowd.

Molly dragged them along through the jostling throng of witches and wizards to where the man she called Hagrid was meandering towards them at a casual gait.

"'lo, Molly," said the large man, Hagrid. "Arth'r, how's work at the Ministry?"

"Good, Hagrid. Thanks for finding Harry. Where did he end up?" Arthur replied.

"Knockturn Alley," rumbled Hagrid. There was a gasp from the Weasley's.

"Awesome!" Fred said, while George said, "Sweet, mate."

"What's it like?" Fred asked.

"Not friendly," Harry said. Paige snorted a laugh.

"Doesn't sound very friendly," she said.

"It certainly isn't," Molly said. "Knockturn Alley is a place where wizards and witches who practice the Dark Arts go. If I catch wind that any of you went down there willngly, there will be hell to pay. Am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," they chorused except for Hagrid and Arthur.

"Good," she said. "Now, to Gringotts and then supply shopping."

Tilting her head curiously, Paige followed.


	10. Chapter 9

Gringotts bank looked for all the world like it would certainly fall over. Paige was convinced that it was only held together by the sheer willpower of the workers and probably a fair bit of magic as well. She followed the group she was with into the building and entered the grand lobby, where squat beings with long, gnarled noses and hands stood behind tall counters made of pure, white marble. Their pointed ears stood out sharply from their heads and she couldn't help but feel that she was either dreaming or hallucinating.

Harry, noticing her wide-eyed rubbernecking, leaned in and whispered, "The workers here are goblins. They're the best protection available aside from hiring dragons." He snickered. "The vaults, wizard equivalent of bank accounts, are guarded by jinxes and hexes to prevent theft."

"Oh," she whispered back. Her shoulders relaxed somewhat and while waiting in line, turned to the page in the _Encyclopedia_ on goblins. She quickly read up on them until Arthur tapped her shoulder, prompting her to look up into the almost-sneering face of a goblin with three clumps of grey-white hair.

"Name," the goblin asked her.

"Uh, my name's Agatha Paige Black, daughter of Adrianna and-" she said nervously.

"That will do," he said. "First year at Hogwarts?" She nodded. "Very well, Ms. Black, if you'd follow Turntail, she'll show you to the vault."

"Hope you haven't eaten much, or it's been mostly digested," Harry whispered.

"Or don't mind vicious rides," chuckled Hagrid in his deep, resonating rumble.

With a panicked look at both of them, she followed the goblin who impatiently gestured for her to follow. She did so, dry-swallowing to calm her nerves.

"In the cart," said Turntail in a high-pitched growl. Climbing aboard, her hands a flutter with her anxiety, Paige sat down in a seat and saw a handle that was bent horribly out of shape as though some poor soul had put a death-grip on the metal and been thrashed about. "Hold on to the handle." She obliged, hoping the tortured metal was sturdier than it looked. "If you can, I'd recommend putting that book away. It will likely fly out if not."

"Okay," she said, hastily putting it into the satchel she'd borrowed from Fred to hold her book while they were out. No sooner had she fastened the clasp and returned first one hand then the other to the handle did the cart take off, flying drastically down a steep hill. She suppressed a scream by clamping her lips together tightly, screaming through her nose instead, producing a significantly muffled sound that seemed to make Turntail chuckle.

"It'll level out here shortly, don't worry," her companion said patting her shoulder with a horribly knobbly hand with razor sharp nails.

Not trusting her mouth to keep the gorge rising in her throat, Paige nodded and briefly let go of the handle with one hand to give the thumbs-up sign.

"I'm surprised none of the adults decided to go with you to your vault. It's one of the deepest ones and easily the most intimidating," she heard Turntail say.

She swallowed again as the cart gradually slowed down just enough for her nerves to calm down. "R-really?" Turntail nodded. "They probably wanted to stick by Harry because he's the Boy Who Lived, which is something he couldn't even control, so..."

"True enough," Turntail said. The cart eventually slowed to a crawl then stopped. Helping a shaken Paige out of the cart, the goblin patted her hand and guided her over to a massive door with the number 733 over the top. "Have you a key?"

"K-key? No, I-I didn't know I needed one, I-"

"What's the thing on your book then?"

"Thing on my bo-what do you mean?" She pulled out the book and looked at it. There seemed to be a key in the design, but she hadn't thought of it as anything more than decorative.

Turntail tugged the book down until it was level with her shoulders, causing Paige to bend almost completely double. She reached in and plucked a medium sized golden key from the center of the book.

A note lay underneath it:

 _My dear little bookworm,  
_

 _My hope is that the discovery that you're a witch doesn't scare you off of magic like I'm sure Vernon and Petunia will try to do. There is no shame in being a witch. I'm one too! This key will help you on your way, I am sure. -Mama_

She blinked hard after reading the note and looked up as, with a groan, the doors split apart, revealing a fair bit of gold. Her jaw dropped.

"Since this is your first year at Hogwarts, I'd say you'll probably need about a thousand galleons, enough to cover robes, books, school supplies like quills, ink, parchment, and even your own pet, be it owl, cat, toad, spider, or otherwise," Turntail said looking at the list that had fallen out of Paige's bag. She grabbed a canvas sack and grabbed several fistfuls of galleons, large golden coins.

After another hectic ride to the surface, Paige rejoined the Weasleys, Harry, and Hagrid and they left Gringotts together. There was a new girl with them who had hair that seemed to have a mind of its own.

"Pleasure to meet you," she said stopping in front of Paige with her hand outstretched. They shook hands. "Paige, right? Harry's mentioned you before. He says you're quite patient, which could prove quite useful as some magic doesn't happen immediately."

"Nice to meet you too. And your name is...?" she said, feeling abhorrently stupid.

"Oh, I'm Hermione Granger, Ron and Harry's best friend. We went through a lot last year and this year promises to deliver not one dull moment," she said. She continued to talk quite animatedly and then they reached a topic that had been nagging Paige's mind since she noticed it. "Anyways, I'm sure Professor Lockheart will be a wonderful teacher. He's written almost all of the books on our list, so he must be a brilliant wizard." She paused, spying a sign, then gasped. "We can meet him!"

"Uh..." Paige said. She had a sinking feeling about this Lockheart character. The fact that he'd written all but one of the books on the school list gave the impression of a narcissistic jerkwad (a cruel nickname she'd picked up from some bullies at school) who had a stick so far up his ass (a term she'd overheard a teacher say about the principal when she had gotten detention for knocking over twenty rubbish bins at once, though she claimed innocence) that he was almost certainly a shish-kebab. "How about you guys go on ahead. I still have to get my stuff."

"I'll mosey on with you, then," Hagrid said. She felt a bit better, having someone from the group she kind of knew, at least about. As they walked around twenty minutes later with her books and a cauldron, a faint meowing was heard. Paige looked around and saw a pitiful sight: a calico kitten was hobbling down the street. She set down her stuff, except for her bag containing the _Encyclopedia_ and rubbed her thumb over her fingers as though rubbing two coins together.

"Here, kitty-kitty-kitty," she cooed. The poor little thing made its way over to her before collapsing in a heap. She scooped it up and gave it a worried look.

"Cute li'l thing," Hagrid remarked.

"I know." Her heart went out to the poor thing, which had begun sniffing her face. One look into the gold eye and blue eye of the cat in her arms and she felt tears prick her eyes.

"If you'd like, I could take it to Hogwarts and take care of it till you get there," Hagrid offered bending over to look at the cat more closely. "Shouldn't need much more than food, water, maybe a bath, and some love."

"Are you sure it's no trouble? I wouldn't want to pass off anything as a burden for anyone else," she said.

"I'm positive. Now, we'd best be getting to finishing that school list of yours." Hagrid took to small cat from her arms and tucked it snugly inside a pocket. She bent down and gathered her belongings then headed for Ollivander's. A wiry old man peered out at them from behind a counter.

After being assessed, Ollivander presented her with a set of wand options. She closed her eyes as her head was towards the wand in the middle, and felt something pull her towards the wand to the far right. She opened her eyes and looked at it, picking it up. As she did, she felt a strong yet gentle wind wash over her. A sparkling line of light sprouted from the end of the wand and encircled her.

"Hm...Mahogany, eleven inches with dragon heartstring," said the aging wand maker. "Most fascinating." He gave her the price and she paid for it.

As they were leaving, she was knocked over by a man who looked to be in his mid-to-late twenties, possibly early thirties. Not even pausing his journey, even when Hagrid yelled "oi!" after him, Paige sent the dirtiest look after him. Shortly thereafter, a crowd of people ran screaming after him, all shouting "Gilderoy Lockheart! He's so brilliant! There he goes! Oh he's so handsome!"

"So that's my Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," she guessed as she gathered her books and such. "Harry mentioned something about Hogwarts being short a teacher because of something involving him and some guy named Baldy Martin."

"We prefer to call him You-Know-Who, or He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named," Hagrid said.


	11. Chapter 10

Paige stood with a cart full of school supplies facing the support column in King's Cross with the train stations 9 and 10 on either side.

"Okay," she said holding both hands at shoulder height, eyes closed and face puckered in confusion. "Tell me again, what I'm supposed to do." She cast a quick glance at the pillar. "You expect me to throw caution to the wind, and all logical reasoning, and adopt a sense of reckless endangerment to run, full force, at the bricks. Between platforms 9 and 10..."

"Yup," Molly said. "It can be a bit intimidating the first time. If you'd like, Arthur or I could go with you."

"Or us!" Fred and George chimed, slightly out of sync.

"I think I might need that support. At least then if I hit the bricks and it's just another brick wall it'll be a quick, painful death," she said with a dry laugh. Harry snorted.

"Trust me, it's not that bad," he said. He patted her shoulder and looked at the clock. "Five minutes."

Her nerves stopped her dead in her tracks inches from the post. She backed up, shaking her head. "I can't," she said, trying not to cry. Arthur put a reassuring hand on her shoulder then put both hands on either side of the cart. With his presence, she found she didn't stop, and instead, gave a small yelp, closing her eyes and yet not stopping. Ginny was waiting on the other side.

"Not so bad, was it?" Molly said when she came through. Fred and George were swift to follow. Harry and Ron didn't show. Molly watched anxiously while Arthur helped Ginny and Paige load their stuff.

Instead of having a pet with her, Paige had a care package for the kitten Hagrid had been updating her on. It had a healthy appetite and was a cuddly little bugger. In the care package, she had a small dish for food with the name "Nunu" etched into the side. She had used a small toolbox sent, to her shock, by Todd. He'd apparently known for a while she was a witch. How did he know this? He was a squib, a witch or wizard born to a wizarding family with very little or no magic.

He'd sent her a name tag as well with her new cat's name engraved in fancy lettering. and a collar and colored kerchief's that could double as collars.


	12. Chapter 11

After looking around, Ginny skipped off to sit with others while Paige wandered around before Hermione offered to let her share a compartment. The moment they stored their belongings and sat down, Paige had to suppress a groan as her travel companion launched into an all-out diarrhea of the mouth, gushing over her excitement over having Gilderoy Lockheart as their Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"I don't know if Harry told you this, but last year-" she said before Paige cut across her.

"You guys had Professor Quirrel, a guy who had a stutter and You-Know-Who on the back of his head, I know!" cried an exasperated Paige. "I was knocked over by Lockheart and he didn't even stop to apologize, just kept on running."

"I'm sure he didn't mean it. He probably didn't notice you," she said.

"Hagrid called out to him, so there's slim to no chance that he didn't know he'd knocked someone over," Paige said. She pulled out her _Encyclopedia_ and opened it where she had bookmarked it, intent on blocking out her surroundings and resuming her reading. She lowered it enough to speak again. "I don't care who he is as long as we actually learn something relevant to the subject."

The next day, Hermione was surprisingly quiet. Then again she did leave relatively early after getting dressed. Paige rose and dressed as well. Shortly thereafter a boy roughly her age, if not a bit older, came by with two rather large boys tailing him.

"Hello," she greeted them not looking up from her book.

"Granger come from this compartment?" said the pale boy.

"Yes. She left because we disagree on the competency of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I've been knocked over by him and find him to be...unique. Likely narcissistic to boot," she said. "I'm Agatha Paige Black, and you are?"

"Draco Malfoy, and these are my mates Crabbe and Goyle," said Draco. He jerked his chin at the object in her hand. "What's that?"

"It's the _Encyclopedia of Mythical and Magical Forces and Entities_. It was a gift from my Mom and Dad," she replied. She looked at the trio over her book. "What are your thoughts on Lockheart as a teacher? Think he'll be any good?"

"I'd prefer to withhold judgement until I see how his lessons are," Draco said.

"Fair enough," she said. "If he turns out to be completely incompetent, wanna start a club? We'd invite everyone who wanted to learn some actual practical Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"If he's completely useless, then we won't have a choice, will we?" he snickered.

"From what Harry told me, you and he don't get along well at all. You fine working with him to learn?"

"If I have to work with Potter-"

"I'd rather you didn't talk about him like that. I grew up with him since I was five and see him as a brother."

"Fine, if I have to work with him, I'd gladly do so to escape incompetent morons who portray teachers."

"You and me both. I had a Muggle teacher back in fifth grade who said he was going to teach us art, but instead went on and on about himself and his accomplishments. We reported him to the principal twice and it wasn't until we convinced her to sit in on one of the classes that she realized he was completely unfit to teach art. His last day he just sat there glaring at all of us," she said with a hearty laugh. She stuck her feather bookmark back in the book and closed it, setting it on her lap.

Draco stuck his head out the window across from the compartment she was sitting in before popping back into her field of view to say, "We're almost there. Better get ready."

She nodded and slipped her book into a bag.

After the train stopped and let them off, she heard a familiar, booming voice calling, "Firs' years 'ere! Firs' Years to me!" She looked around after gathering her stuff and setting it down off the train and spotted Hagrid.

She smiled and made her way over, trying to bring her belongings. An older boy stopped her. "You can leave your stuff here. They'll get it to the castle for you," he said.

"Oh, okay, thanks!" she said before skipping over to where Hagrid stood with a growing crowd.

They climbed into boats and set off across the water. As they came around a corner and entered the lake proper, there were gasps and cries of excitement and awe as the beautiful, magnificent castle with a charming roof that reflected the sky stood proudly atop the hill on which it was built.


	13. Chapter 12

Paige followed everyone, growing more and more excited to the point where she had to force herself to keep still or risk bouncing up and down from glee.

"Firs' years, this is Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor. She'll take over from 'ere," Hagrid said, gesturing to a wiry woman with exceptionally thin lips, fierce eyes, and an experienced face. She nodded to him and he stepped off the front steps and hobbled off towards a hut that looked small from a distance, but then, so did Hagrid.

"Good evening, students," she said with a tight, slightly chirped voice. "As Hagrid has mentioned, I am Professor McGonagall. Follow me to the Great Hall, where you will be having your first meal here as students, after being sorted into your house. There are four houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. When you are sorted, you may continue to converse amongst the other houses, in fact it's encouraged. However, if you should stray and break the rules, you will lose your house points. Doing well in activities and participating in classes will earn your house points," she said. Around there, Paige, trying not to zone out, pulled out her book and held it to her chest. They paused at a pair of massive doors that dwarfed the doors to the vault she had visited before buying her school supplies. Something rubbed against her ankles and she looked down when she felt little paws on her calf. There was the cat she and Hagrid had rescued. She stooped and picked it up, getting a happy, purring nuzzle for her troubles.

The doors parted and the students were ushered inside, where candles floated, suspended by nothing, except, she reminded herself, magic. There were four tables, two on each side of the room. The first years made their way between two of them and stopped before a slightly raised dais. On it sat a simple wooden stool, atop which sat a dusty, heavily patched pointed hat.

"When your name is called, please step up and sit on the stool. The Sorting Hat," she held it up, "will sort you into your Houses. They will, from that moment forward, be your family here." She pulled out a scroll and began listing names. The Sorting Hat, for the most part, shouted out one of the four houses the moment it sat upon the head of the student. They filtered to the cheering house and the next student went up when their name was called.

"Black, Agatha Paige," Professor McGonagall called. Paige took a deep breath and put her book away. The young cat sat happily on the bag, leaning against her side and looking up at her.

She sat down and felt the Hat settle on her head. Then it promptly sank below her eyes, causing her momentarily alarm. She groped blindly, hoping to lift the brim off her head so she could see again.

"Stop that," said a small voice in her ear. She froze. "Thank you. Now, let's take a look...Hm...Perhaps you'd be best suited to being in your own-"

 _No! Not my own house! Please! I can't stand being alone,_ she thought desperately, though didn't get a chance to do more than open her mouth.

"Are you sure? You don't really fit any of the moulds-"

 _I will! I'll fit into any mould, just don't make me be in my own house, please!_ she thought, panic threatening to overwhelm her.

"Oh, alright," said the little voice. "SLYTHERIN!" The booming voice was followed not long after by the Hat being lifted off her head. She blinked before her eyes adjusted and she made her way over to the cheering house. She sighed with relief as she sank into a seat that was made for her. She didn't really pay much attention as the rest of the first years were sorted. She, instead, focused on both the table behind where the Sorting was taking place.

After the Sorting, and a wonderful meal, she followed her fellow Slytherins as they made their way to the basement. They paused just at the top of a final set of stairs and entered a wall, which parted to allow them entry. She followed the older girls up one of the two sets of stairs and found her belongings at the foot of a bed. She grabbed the care package and fished around until she found a lovely emerald green collar and got the name tag off the black leather collar Todd had it on. She threaded it on, with a fair bit of struggle. Then she fitted it onto the cat, who she now picked up.

"Your name is now Nunu, okay?" she said quietly.

"Mew!" purred Nunu.

She hugged the cat close and sighed when all the girls made exceptionally excited noises and began chattering amongst themselves about Professor Lockheart. She stood, bringing Nunu with her, and descended the stairs to the Common Room, where a couple boys were busy debating what tactics would be ideal for something called quidditch. She sank into a chair, Nunu smergling, kneading her stomach and legs with light claws. The volume at which she was purring drowned out the excited squeals from upstairs.


	14. Chapter 13

With her books in hand, her wand tucked up her sleeve in a wrist band she had received, and Nunu walking beside her, Paige walked, apprehensively, into Professor Lockheart's classroom. She took a seat and organized her belongings. Lockheart strode in after everyone was seated with a cocksure, "I've got to be the most important person in the room" attitude.

She groaned quietly, trying not to show her displeasure with what she was sure promised to be a tedious repeat of the Muggle art teacher she had had, only, minus the "You-haven't-taught-a-damn-thing-you're-fired" bit.

"Welcome, students, to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Of course, you all know me," Lockheart said, shooting a wink at the class. Several girls squealed with delight and fluttered their eyelashes at him. She tried not to be too obvious with her eyerolling. "Now, let's begin. Here are your first tests, all on information from my books, which you may have noticed make up the vast majority of your school books list, you lucky folks."

 _I'd rather have Dudley sit on me than listen to this useless tool for another hour_ , she thought to herself. She looked at the sheet of paper before her. She dipped her quill into her inkwell and began filling out the answers. "What is Gilderoy Lockheart's favorite color? What would he like for his birthday? What _year was he born in_? What kind of questions are these?!" she hissed under her breath. The boy next to her cast a glance her way that portrayed his agreement. She looked around the room and saw almost all the girls and a couple guys nose deep, sighing dreamily as Lockheart scanned the room. As quietly as she could, she pulled out a long roll of parchment and slid the first sheet under the desk. She murmured a spell she had learned from her _Encyclopedia_ to copy stuff verbatim. Ghostly images of the questions filtered silently from the test page to the blank parchment. She saw Lockheart striding towards her table and quickly returned the test to the top of the desk before resuming writing. When he returned to the front of the classroom, she slid the test, once again, below copying everything once again. When she had finished copying everything on one side, she flipped it over and coughed to stifle an exasperated cry. She sighed in tandem with everyone else, and copied that side too. Then she returned the first sheet to the desktop and slipped the second one to copy. She was lucky, Professor Lockheart wasn't looking her way when her foot itched and she scratched it, causing the rolled up bit of parchment to unroll and slide under the desk in front of them. She used a quick spell and it rolled back up.

"What're you doing?" breathed the boy next to her.

"Copying stuff over to one long scroll so I can show it to actual teachers who matter," she passed back with the barest of breaths.

"Ah," he replied. "Good idea. I'll let you know if he's coming our way."

"Thanks." Her copying resumed. She was about two thirds done by the time Lockheart moved again. This time, the boy next to her nudged her arm just in time for her to get her test back up onto the desk. She'd filled some answers in so it didn't look like she'd been up to anything suspicious. He returned to his station at the front of the class.

"Ten minutes, class," he said evenly.

 _Ten minutes will be enough time to copy everything and fill in whatever answers I don't have filled in,_ she thought to herself. Her wand traced the pattern for the copying and the remaining ghostly letters flowed onto the parchment roll. Once finished, she cast the spell to solidify the writing and rolled it up, stowing it safely in the bag with her book, and a sleepy Nunu. She dipped her quill once again and filled everything in.

"Time's up," Lockheart said. "Pass your tests to the middle and I'll be by to pick them up." There was a shuffle as students passed their tests. "Now, our first lesson, after you receive your syllabus, is going to be the Werewolf of Wenlok, my first achievement. We'll be covering how I rid the world of one more halfie. We don't need them in our world, and the sooner they are gone the better." Her eyebrows constricted of their own accord. The next hour and a half was spent with her alternating between concerned looks and curling her toes to keep from complaining about how it has little to do with teaching them how to defend themselves against werewolves.

The bell rang and the class filed out, some students, like her, grabbing their stuff and bolting from the room like the teacher had turned into some hideous beast. The boy who sat next to her caught up with her relatively quickly.

"My name's Nick," he said. He held out a hand.

"Paige," she replied shaking his offered hand. "That was...interesting."

"Yeah," he said. "What did you get for his birth year?"

"The answer that was in his books. Though I don't see what it has to do with defending ourselves from the Dark Arts," she said. He laughed.


	15. Chapter 14

One look at Professor Lockheart, and Paige sighed inwardly, knowing that this lesson would be no different from the last one. She took her seat and waited for the others to file in and block her from view before taking out the mentioned "textbook" and her _Encyclopedia_ along with it. The assigned book was a fair bit bigger than her book, so it was easy to make it look like she was reading it diligently, instead of actually trying to learn to keep herself safe or other useful spells. Lockheart launched into the lesson with the same enthusiasm of the previous, and was just as venomous in his opinions. She rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly before her eyes drifted to the books before her, excitedly learning new spells.

She was so engrossed that she didn't notice that class had ended and Professor Lockheart was standing beside her until he snatched her _Encyclopedia_ from her, ripping her from her studies. Instinctively she reached for it.

"Hey!" she protested. "Give it back, Professor. Please, it's a gift from my mother, sir."

"Well too bad," he said, furious. "You should have paid attention to the class instead of reading a fairytale. Ten points from Slytherin, and a detention. Take this form to Professor Snape. He's the Head of Slytherin, as I'm sure you know."

"Y-yes sir," she said, trying not to lose her mind. Panic closed around her throat in a painful manner.

"You can get this back when you hand in your homework, which is, for you, a four foot essay on my glorious vanquishing of the horrible monsters that roam our world," he said. She looked up at him, unable to form coherent sentences.

"No! Please, Professor, I-"

"If you continue I shall be forced to march you down to Professor Snape myself, which I think would probably be for the best, wouldn't you?"

"You don't understand I-" He grabbed her by the arm and hauled her to her feet, keeping the _Encyclopedia_ in his other hand.

"This way, wayward one," he chastised. He dragged her along, her struggling to reach her book, him tightening his grasp on her, hitting a pressure point and forcing her back in line. By the time they reached Professor Snape's office, Lockheart had a smug, I-beat-you look about him, while she was crying silently, too ashamed and hurt to even fight anymore.

Professor Snape opened the door with an irritated scowl on his face, and she lowered her tear-stained face to her shoes, not wanting to see his anger come out in ways she was sure would be horrible. "What do you want, Gilderoy?" he snapped. "I'm busy."

"This is one of yours," he said, lifting her arm a bit higher and causing a whimper to escape her quivering, tightly closed lips. "I caught her goofing off, reading a fairytale book instead of listening to me recount something that will come up on her end of term exam."

"'Fairytale book'?" Professor Snape repeated. "Which one? _Tales of Beedle the Bard_?"

"No, this one." She heard the book being passed and shuddered, the pain in her arm growing by the minute. "It's complete and utter poppycock, and completely useless in my class. I'd recommend destroying it-" She gasped and looked up, panic-stricken.

"Please don't!" she yelped before Lockheart shook her arm, causing her to wince and fall silent.

Snape grabbed Lockheart's wrist and squeezed, forcing him to release Paige's arm. It fell limply to her side where she held it firmly but gently. "Professor Dumbledore wouldn't approve of how you brought her to me, nor will I tolerate it," he growled. "It seems this book is harmless enough, just a student trying to get up on her knowledge of the wizarding world."

"Well, still. She shouldn't have been reading it while I was teaching class," Lockheart said a bit miffed. Snape beckoned for them to follow. Paige hesitated then entered, sitting in a nearby seat when it was gestured to. "I don't know why she'd want to learn from anywhere else other than me. I am a popular wizard, and world famous, too."

"Also arrogant and opinionated, not to mention the fact that you don't know how to teach a class Defense Against the Dark Arts instead of Gilderoy Lockheart 101," she said without thinking. Professor Snape snorted into his tea, spilling a fair bit over the rim and down the front of his robes. He coughed, waving off Lockheart's attempts to help.

"You insignificant little ungrateful witch! How dare you say such a thing when you don't know nearly as much magic as I do!" Lockheart raged.

"I've learned more from that book in ten minutes than I have in the entirety of your classes!" she retorted.

"Enough!" Snape rasped, finally managing to speak after coughing up a lung full of tea. "Gilderoy, I'll take care of her. Don't worry. She won't get the book back until she's earned it."

"Good. See to it that she doesn't. She strikes me as a sneaky one," spat Lockheart. He left, slamming the door behind him. They heard his stiff-soled boots clacking away down the hall until they faded into silence. Professor Snape stood and went over to the door, pointing his wand at it and mouthing a few words before returning to his desk. She hung her head, expecting lines or some other awful punishment for speaking out against a teacher and getting a detention. She snuck a few glances at Professor Snape, who looked at the floor, fingertips pressed together. He was trembling, she was sure with fury.

Finally he looked up, black eyes sparkling with laughter, which shocked her. "That was an unwise move," he said, unable to keep a chuckle out of it. "Professor Lockheart will be extra harsh to Slytherin, especially to you, from here on out." He slid the _Encyclopedia_ over to her. "Seems like a handy little book. Any spell in particular you find helpful?"

"Well, there is one," she said, confused. "You aren't going to punish me for talking back to Professor Lockheart?"

"I won't if you tell me the spell," he said, folding his hands before him. She took the _Encyclopedia_ and laid it closed upon the desk.

"Show me the spell _Ignotum Totalus_ please," she said to the cover. She paused a few seconds then flipped the book open to the third page, just after the Index. "Copying Spells" was scrawled across the top in elegant, flowing script. "If you have a clean sheet of parchment you can tap the sheet you wish to copy while saying _Ignotum_ and then the clean sheet while saying _Totalus_. I used that spell to copy the first test we got."

" _Ignotum Totalus_ ," he said, tapping the sheets in succession. His eyebrows rose a fraction as the ghostly letters the spell produced floated through the air and onto the clean sheet.

"Mhmm, and to hold it in place permanently, it's _Dusex_ ," she said. He followed her instructions. "Rub the new one hard and you'll find it doesn't smudge."

"Fascinating," he said. He wrote something down on a small roll of parchment, then looked up at her. "You may return to the Slytherin Common Room. Don't tell anyone what happened after Professor Lockheart left my office, alright?" She nodded, relieved. He flicked his wand at the door and a small ball of yellow light shot towards it. "And, keep that book with you."

She rose, holding the _Encyclopedia_ and scrubbing her cheeks with her robes, leaving them red and blotchy. She departed, an almost happy look on her face to conceal the absolute elation she felt. She turned her face to the ground, to hide a cheerful smile as she entered the Slytherin Common Room and took the stairway leading to the girl's dorm.

"Hey! Paige!" She turned and saw Draco watching her. "Heard you snapped at Lockheart. Say anything interesting?"

"Only that he's not teaching us Defense Against the Dark Arts, just Gilderoy Lockheart 101," she replied. There was uproarious laughter from the boys and some of the girls. The remaining girls scowled at her and cut her glares.

"Bet you regretted that," sneered one of the girls. "By the looks of it, you've been begging for mercy so he doesn't blast you away like he did that Banshee."

"If that's what you want to believe, then nothing I say is going to change that. I cried because he was gripping my arm so tightly that it hit a nerve and caused an overwhelming amount of pain," she said.

"And that's why you weren't put in Ravenclaw," said the girl. "Too proud to admit to begging."

"Lay off, Pansy," said Draco. He nodded to the book in her hands. "You get that back from Professor Snape?"

"Yeah, but I've still gotta earn it back before Professor Lockheart sees it."

"Oh, God, what do you need to do?"

"Write a four foot essay on his 'glorious vanquishing' of the 'horrible monsters that roam our world.'" she said waving one hand sarcastically. Draco threw his head back and cackled.

"We'll help," said two girls who had laughed at her comment.

"Really? You're not mad that I think Lockheart's a phoney?"

"Eh, his lessons thus far have been mostly him bragging, so..."

"True, true."

They gathered around a small table and she pulled out a quill, ink, and a scroll of parchment four feet long. Textbooks littered the table and floor surrounding it by the time Professor Snape stopped by to check on things. There was a clear and definite divide in the space. Girls who normally mingled with the boys, now were steadfastly refusing to even look over to where Paige sat surrounded by people helping her with her homework.

"Goodnight, everyone," Professor Snape said.

"Goodnight, Professor!" chirped a smiling Paige. The others threw in their greetings as well.


	16. Chapter 15

Early the next morning, Paige woke up due to Nunu swatting an annoying buzzing fly that had kept her and the other girls awake most of the night with various attempts at swatting it. She rolled over and found herself dozing before Nunu meowed obnoxiously and she sighed, resigning herself to being fully awake. She turned into a fox and stretched, flexing her toes luxuriously.

"Alright, I'm up," she murmured tiredly when she resumed her human form. Nunu purred and nipped her nose to get her attention. She got up, grabbing the cat in the process, and took out her school uniform. She dressed quickly and set Nunu down, bringing a small bag with her that contained her wand and _Encyclopedia_. Nunu slipped out of the Slytherin Common Room and Paige followed. She tracked her cat up to the seventh floor, where an empty hallway stood. There was a bend in the hall that ended with a blank stone wall. Nunu meowed from about half-way down and Paige hurried to catch up. She stopped when the cat did and sat staring at the wall. She pulled out the _Encyclopedia_ and stared at it. Pacing as she began reading, she only looked up when Nunu stepped in front of her and she almost tripped.

"Nunu!" she hissed. "You're gonna get me killed or hurt." Nunu sat staring at the blank wall. "What are you looking at?" Her eyes widened as an ornate door flowered out from the middle of the wall. It was a pretty big door, but opened easily as though it was a small wooden one when she pushed it gently. Inside was a long room with two rather large alcoves, one empty the other filled with what looked like training dummies. Before her stood a chalkboard and a large set of desks. Her jaw hit the ground. She walked into the room and the door silently closed behind her. Her face split in an ear-to-ear grin that caused her eyes to light up and her feet to bounce excitedly as she brought her hands up to muffle an excited shriek.

She sat down in a chair that appeared behind her and she pulled out a scroll of parchment and her book. "This place will be perfect to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts! Now to see if I can convince people," she said to herself. "And see if I can overcome my stage-fright."


	17. Chapter 16

That night after supper while most of Slytherin was hanging out in the Common Room, Paige was browsing her _Encyclopedia_ and jotting down interesting or useful spells to practice in the odd classroom she'd found earlier.

Draco noticed her after coming back from the bathroom and plopped down beside her. "How's it going?" he said.

"Oh, y'know, it's going," she said, not sure how or what to say.

"What're you doing?" he asked, peeking at the list of spells she was writing down.

"Compiling a list of spells to practice," she said. "I figure if Lockheart's not gonna teach us anything even remotely useful, I may as well teach myself, and others as well if need be." She snorted. "Probably going to need to, useless tool that he is, he'll probably bring You-Know-Who back from the dead in some sort of messed up failed spell because he was showing off too much." A few people who were close enough to hear laughed.

"Unfortunately, that's probably true," commented Nick. "Mind teaching us?"

"Who? Me?" she said just a bit nervous. He nodded and a few others perked up, looking at her eagerly. "Uh..." Her eyes unconsciously swept the faces that now seemed alight with curiosity. "I don't know. I don't think I'm...qualified for that. I'm still learning myself..."

"Please?" said one of the seventh years. "We haven't really been taught anything useful in years, so even if it is just a few spells, we kind of need to know stuff."

She stammered, then fell silent, thinking as her gaze drifted to the ground, then over to her _Encyclopedia_ which sat patiently awaiting use. She thought of Harry, the Weasleys, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, and others. "If I do, you guys have to invite other people from the other houses. I'm not gonna teach just Slytherin. It wouldn't be fair or right," she said at length.

There was a collective sigh, though a bit of an apprehensive one. She guessed that Slytherin was often too proud to invite people from other houses to hang out much.

"Maybe write fliers and slip them into bags or something," she suggested. "If you don't want to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts, it's fine, just don't mention it to Professor Lockheart or he'll have my head."

Draco honked through his nose. "He might consider doing that anyways," he commented dryly.

"True, true," she said. They looked toward the door when someone cleared their throat. Professor Snape stood there, looking around in mild interest. _Oh my...I'm in so much trouble_ , she thought to herself.

"If you decide to go through with this, where will you be teaching?" was all he asked.

Heads swiveled back to her. She dry swallowed, feeling acutely aware of the eyes now fixed on her with varying degrees of hostility. She cleared her own throat and thought quickly.

"Well, I found a classroom on the seventh floor across from the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy," she said. "It, uh, appeared when I was pacing back and forth while thinking that I needed a place to practice my spells. I didn't notice it until Nunu almost tripped me." He gave her a dubious look.

"There's no door there," said a sassy voice. She turned and looked at Pansy.

"Well excuse me, princess," she replied. "I did say it appeared, and with the magics woven around Hogwarts, I'm not surprised."

"You little-!" sputtered a now-fuming Pansy.

"Careful," she cautioned. "People might think you support Gryffindor if you stay that color." A few people smothered laughs while Professor Snape's mouth twitched briefly into a tight snicker before resuming an uninterested pose. Pansy lunged at her and her wand was out in an instant. " _Tetio!_ " A yellowish-red light spat from the end of her wand and entwined itself around Pansy, holding her still. With a flick, the light faded and ropes now bound her, though not tightly enough that she fell over.

"Professor Snape!" bawled Pansy. "Do something! Give her a detention, then please get me out of these damned ropes!"

"Release her, Paige," Snape said in a slightly humorous voice. "I won't give you detention if you do."

"Oh alright," she said. "Only if she doesn't attack me, then she's getting tied up again."

" _Diffindo!_ It's not cutting! What ropes did you use?!" a friend of Pansy's demanded.

"Ropes that only work if the person is a threat," Paige replied. "Once she calms down, they'll disappear." After several minutes of a spluttering, fuming Pansy huffing and puffing as she struggled to free herself, her shoulders sagged in defeat. Almost instantly, the ropes glowed then faded away. "See?"


	18. Chapter 17

The next day, the first thing the Slytherin house asked her was when the first meeting was going to be, or as they called it, and she nervously went along with, "lesson."

"Well, if everyone's alright with it, maybe we can have it today? Like, after supper but before curfew so no one gets in trouble," she said. Nick, noticing her anxious face, decided to step up and help her out.

"Curfew's nine, so maybe we can have it start at seven," he said. "My older brother is in Ravenclaw and our oldest sister, Clarice, graduated last year."

"Alright, just, uh, be sure to let other people from the three other houses know where and when to meet," she said. "And, most importantly, tell them it's actually a Defense Against the Dark Arts meeti-er, lesson."

They mumbled but agreed. Then trickled off to breakfast.

Later as she was passing him in the hallway, she grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him aside.

"Hey, so the Slytherin house has asked me to teach them a couple spells. Spread the word throughout Gryffindor to meet on the seventh floor by seven tonight across the hall from the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy," she said to him in a quiet voice. "Please be there because I might just black out." She gave an exceptionally nervous laugh, just a bit louder then necessary. "I'm offering this to anyone who wants it, just don't breathe a word of it to any teacher, least of all Professor Lockheart."

"Alright, but why are you doing this if you're so nervous?" he asked.

"It's my _Encyclopedia_ ," she explained. "They want to learn from it, and I don't want anyone else touching it unless needed."

"Ah, okay," he said. They parted and he returned to Hermione and Ron while she continued down the hallway to Potions.

Seven o'clock rolled around before she knew it and when she arrived at the seventh floor hallway, she saw a decent sized crowd gathered around the bend in the hall. Her throat closed up and she found herself hyperventilating. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing off to one side with a group of students that had red touches to their clothes, so she guessed they were Gryffindors. They approached her and her nerves settled somewhat being around familiar faces.

"Don't worry, you'll do fine," Harry said.

"Yeah, you'll do great!" Ron chipped in. "You'll be a much better teacher than Lockheart."

"Ron! Don't disrespect our Professor like that," scolded Hermione. Paige tried not to roll her eyes.

"Please tell me you're not one of the brainless followers," she groaned.

"Excuse me?!"

"You're defending a guy whose ego is big enough he doesn't teach us jack about defending ourselves against anything, except maybe insomnia." Ron and a couple others laughed.

Hermione, embarrassed and angered, changed the subject. "Where's this classroom I've heard so much about? Doesn't seem to be much here,"she said, nose slightly raised.

"It'll appear, don't worry," she said. She made her way through the crowd and to the front. She closed her eyes and began to pace. _I need a place to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts_ , she thought repeatedly as she paced. She looked at the wall when she heard a few gasps. The door was flowering out like it had before. She opened it and found the exact same room as the day previous. "Uh, welcome everyone to the, uh, first, er, lesson. I'm just gonna request now that everyone sit with someone they've not sat with before, preferably not next to someone in your own house. Let's all become friends here and not distract each other, okay?" Her voice, though quivering from nerves, carried well.

Slowly, as though they were wading through molasses, everyone took a seat while she made her way to the front of the seated students. Paige took a deep breath, trying not to sway when a wave of anxiety washed over her. She gripped the chalk basin on the blackboard tightly.  
She picked up a rather large piece of chalk and wrote "Tetio" on the board. Just underneath it she wrote "Restrictive spell."

"Today I thought we'd talk about a spell I used last night to protect myself from a fellow Slytherin's attack," she said. "The spell _Tetio_ is classified as a restrictive spell, meaning it holds your opponent in place without sending them to the ground. It creates a rope around them and ensures that they cannot move, though their legs are not bound. It holds them in place until they are no longer a threat or until you speak the releasing spell. I think we can practice on each other in a minute, I've just gotta check to make sure that misspeaking won't cause irreparable harm to your opponent." She looked it up in her _Encyclopedia_. After a few moments, she found what she was looking for. _Not to be confused with_ Tetuos _, a common spell for eradicating a location of spiders and other unwanted guests except for animagi and people._ "Alright. It looks like we should be alright. Partner up and stand in either of the two boxes in one of the rectangles on the floor. If you successfully cast the spell, a golden light will emit from your wand and wrap around your opponent. Don't worry if you don't cast it properly, the worst that'll happen is you'll get rid of someone's pests or unwanted guests. It doesn't work on people, though." There was a scraping of seats as everyone partnered up and squared off over the rectangles. "Oh, and the wand movements is a flick then checkmark to solidify the ropes. Once you lower your wand the ropes will remain for a brief period of time then glow before dissolving. If you need any help, my name is Paige and I'll assist where I can."

By the time eight-thirty rolled around, she was satisfied. "Please don't practice outside of this room. And above all else DO NOT LET PROFESSOR LOCKHEART KNOW ABOUT THIS! Last thing I need is to get chewed out again." A few people snickered having heard about what she'd said to Lockheart. "Before we part for the night, are there any questions?" A hand shot up. "Yes?"

"When will the next meeting be? This was both fun and educational," said a boy a bit older than Harry, possibly the same age.

"Uh...How about we meet every Thursday at the same time? If anyone has any issues with that, let me know, alright?" she said. "I've also been informed that Quidditch is a pretty big thing here, so if there are any practices, let me know if they happen on the same nights as these meetings, alright?"

"What should we call this group?" called out a seventh year.

"Well, I-uh, I don't know. Maybe the Frontier because we're journeying into new territory and discovering it together?" she suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds good." "Sure!" "Frontier it is!" several people said. There was a general murmuring of agreement and then everyone made their way out of the room and off to their own things, leaving only her, Harry, Ron, and Hermione behind.

She sighed with relief, leaning against a sturdy mahogany desk she had only just noticed. She rubbed her forehead. It was a nervous tick of hers, something she had forced herself not to do while everyone was in the room.

The four of them grouped together at the teacher's desk. "Well that was terrifying," she commented.

"You did great," Ron said encouragingly. "By the way, what's the spell for getting rid of unwanted guests? Would it also work on spiders?"

"Actually yes, it would work on spiders, unless they're animagi, which classifies them as people. The spell is useless against people," she said. "It's _Tetuos_ , and I only found out about it because it's similar in pronunciation to _Tetio_."

Hermione, who seemed to have become subdued since they began practicing, now spoke. "You really did do a great job teaching us today," she said. " _Tetio_ seems like it'll be wildly useful."


	19. Chapter 18

About an hour after the second Frontier meeting, Paige found herself walking down the hallway on the third floor when she heard a passionate hissing from just around the corner. She froze, knowing that hiss was Mrs. Norris. There was a loud _crack!_ and a small voice spoke to her.

"Good evening, Mistress Paige," a voice said to her. She looked down towards it and blinked, not quite sure what she was seeing. She'd seen Dobby, the house-elf that had gotten Harry into such trouble, but hadn't realized that house-elves had such variety. Aside from the large, bulbous eyes that were planted firmly into a low, flat head, large bat-like ears stuck out evenly along with a slightly crooked, droopy, pointed nose. Cascading down from all angles except for the very front of her head was wispy clumps of dark hair. For some reason, this house-elf looked familiar.

"Hi," she said slowly. "Forgive me for sounding rude, but do I know you from somewhere?"

"Of course, Mistress Paige," she said with a bow. "Mistress Paige always called me Biddy."

"Biddy?" Paige repeated. Something clicked and memories of being home with her mother flooded back to her. A happy grin split her face. "Biddy! Oh, it's been so long, how have you been?" She fell to her knees and wrapped her mother's best helper in a hug.

"Biddy's been well," Biddy said. "Biddy will feel however her master or mistress tells her to feel."

Footsteps began falling, getting louder. Being found out of bed past curfew was far from something she wanted to experience. She'd run into Mr. Filch once before and she couldn't help but be forced to suppress a shudder at the memory.

"Biddy, I need to hide," she said in a quiet voice. "I can't be caught out after curfew."

"Take Biddy's hand," said her now-loyal servant. She followed the instruction without question and soon found herself wicked up into the air, then deposited neatly on the threshold of the Slytherin Common Room.

"Thank you," she said. "Would you mind checking to see what was going on in the hallway? Just stay out of sight, I don't want you getting into trouble."

Biddy nodded. Just before she left Paige handed her a little black notepad, no bigger than a plastic credit card. "Use this to write to me. I've got the master copy right here," she patted the bag at her hip. She pressed a piece of black chalk into the age-riddled hand. Biddy nodded and disappeared. Paige sat down in a nearby chair, thankful for the shortcut back to bed. Her book began emitting a soft glow and she opened it.

 _There's a cat hanging by its tail over a puddle of water. There's words. They say,_ was written there in childishly sloppy letters. The writing faded and was replaced by new words. _The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware._ A sinking feeling settled into her stomach. More words replaced those. _Someone's coming and a ghostie is nearby._ A few moments later. _It's Harry Potter! And a red haired boy._ Followed by. _A large group of people has showed up. The Headmaster is there and is taking the cat down. They're going into an office._ Paige pulled out her own piece of chalk and wrote back.

"Bring me there. I might be able to explain what happened," she murmured as she wrote. Biddy appeared shortly thereafter. She brought them both to the office she instantly knew as Lockheart's, based purely on the number of portraits of himself. All eyes were suddenly glued to her and Biddy, both of whom froze, eyes bugging out of their heads. "Hi, hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"It's kind of a bad time right now. Mr. Filch just lost his cat," Lockheart said, his voice low and condescending. She gave him a dubious look.

"Glasses of Truth," she murmured to her Encyclopedia. After a few moments, she flipped it open to the middle and removed a pair of wire-framed square lenses that sat easily on the nose. She put them to her eyes and leaned over to look at Mrs. Norris. _Cat. Petrified._ read a line of text underneath it. "Um, excuse me, Professor Dumbledore, but would you like to borrow these? They tell the truth about anything, showing things in their true form and identifying the difference between petrification and death."

"Sure," he said, humoring her. He took them and sat them on his nose, peering at Mrs. Norris. His amused smile faded almost instantly, blue eyes widening.

"What did I tell you, Albus? She didn't make it," Lockheart said, prompting a fresh wave of rasping sobs from Mr. Filch.

"Professor Lockheart, could you tell the difference between someone who has been petrified and someone who has perished?" Paige asked, annoyance coloring her voice. He gave her a dirty look.

"Better than you could," he growled.

"My dear Professor Lockheart, you are as ignorant as you are arrogant. Mrs. Norris is not dead, but petrified," Paige said matter-of-factly. Professor Dumbledore gave her a warning look over his half-moon spectacles. She ducked her head. "Sorry, Professor Dumbledore. I shouldn't be so disrespectful."

"Well, in this case you're right, on two of those three statements. Mrs. Norris hasn't been killed, only petrified, and you shouldn't be so disrespectful, even if the third statement you made is quite possibly true, but who am I to judge," Professor Dumbledore said with a half-smile. He handed the Truth specs back to her and she slid them back into her book. "Is that the book Professor Snape told me about?"

"Uh, yes, sir," she said nervously. "It's my _Encyclopedia of Mythical and Magical Forces and Entities_. It was a gift from my mother and father."

"Does it say anything about petrifying? Perhaps how to reverse it?" he asked.

"Maybe. Here, you can try it out," she said, passing it over. "Just state what you want to learn about and it'll show you. Speak to the front cover then wait to a slow count of ten before opening it. Just past the index is where the information starts."

He opened the _Encyclopedia_ and began to read. He made a few noises of intrigue, but otherwise remained silent.

"While you're doing that, Albus, perhaps Paige can explain what she was doing out of bed past curfew?" a truly aggravated Lockheart demanded.

"I-well, uh...You see- it's kind of a funny story, actually, um," she stammered. She couldn't blurt out about the Frontier. She'd be expelled! Or kicked out of the class. Lockheart would for sure ban her from the classroom.

"You were behind this attack, weren't you?!" he accused.

"What? No! I'd never, I couldn't," she said frantically. "I-"

"It's alright, Paige," said Professor Dumbledore at last. "Gilderoy, she couldn't have done anything." They looked at him with varying emotions on their faces. "This book keeps a record of what the owner was doing at any given time. It states that she was heading down from the seventh floor, on her way back to the Slytherin Common Room, I'm guessing?" She nodded nervously.

"What was she doing there well past curfew?"

"Likely practicing spells she learned from the book itself," Professor Dumbledore guessed. He passed it back to her.

"This damn book again?!" Professor Lockheart grabbed it and threw it on the fire.

"NO!" shrieked Paige, lunging for it. From her outstretched hand emerged a bright blue ball of light, speeding forward and exploding, putting out the flames and leaving everyone in the room silently staring at her as she quickly scooped up her book. "Biddy, I'd like to return to the Slytherin Common Room, please." With a _crack!_ the house-elf took her back to her common room where they parted after Biddy tucked her into bed. She rolled over and fell into a troubled sleep.


	20. Chapter 19

The moment class began as Paige got out her books for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Lockheart cut her a scathing glare. Everyone turned at followed his gaze and she felt twice as nervous as she had the night before, standing in his office about Mrs. Norris.

"What's wrong, Professor?" someone asked. She recognized the voice from the Frontier meeting.

"It doesn't matter," he said through gritted teeth. "I've decided to show you some of the many creatures you'll be dealing with in our world." He plopped a cage full of buzzing creatures on his desk and adjusted his face to a cheerful, cocky grin. "Behold, the most annoying pests you'll ever have to deal with. Pixies." He flipped the latch and a thousand blue-skinned winged...things burst out, immediately wreaking havoc on the classroom. "And to stop them you-oop!" His wand went flying as pixies swarmed him. As the class screamed and ran for cover, Professor Lockheart slinked out of the classroom, leaving his first years to deal with the pixies themselves.

"You COWARD!" roared Paige. "JUST WAIT TILL PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE HEARS ABOUT THIS!" She covered her head until she felt Nick be whisked up into the air by about ten pixies. "FRONTIER! FIRST SPELL!"

A resounding cry of " _Tetio!_ " was soon followed by a drastic difference in the noise level. She steadied Nick as he crashed to the ground, upending their desk. As those in the Frontier were finally able to pinpoint cast _Tetio_ until the pixies were all bound. One by one, and sometimes by fistfuls, the pixies were placed back in the cage, which was then securely locked.

"Well done, guys," she panted. She grabbed her bag and turned toward the door just as Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore entered the room, wands out and ready to defend the students. She sheepishly waved. "Hi."

"What happened here? Professor Lockheart said that there was an incident he couldn't handle," Professor Dumbledore said.

Paige ducked her head when several people pointed at her.

It was Nick who saved her. "Paige taught us a restrictive spell," he said. Both the Headmaster and Potions teacher looked at her.

"They wanted to learn to defend themselves, so I taught them _Tetio_ ," she said meekly.

Professor Dumbledore's eyebrows puckered with concern. "Does Professor Lockheart know about this? Didn't he teach you how to stop the pixies?"

"Not really," she admitted. "I gave Professor Snape a copy of the questions that were given to us on the first test Professor Lockheart ever gave us." She took a deep breath, feeling both like she had too much and too little air in her lungs. "We've met twice now."

Professor Snape's eyes widened a miniscule amount, barely noticeable, when Professor Dumbledore looked at him. Wordlessly, Snape passed the scroll of questions over.

Professor Dumbledore unrolled it and began reading, eyebrows getting closer and closer, his vivid blue eyes widening in disbelief. "No, surely not," he muttered. He turned to Paige, showing the scroll of questions. "Are you sure these are the questions he's asked?" She nodded.

"I got my test back, Professor Dumbledore," piped another student. "I got ten percent on it because I just sat there staring at the questions, confused as to what they had to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts." The three page test was handed over.

Professor Dumbledore was silent, making no sound. Paige found herself sweating nervously, anxiously looking for a way out of the situation. She was in trouble, she was sure of it. Without a word, he turned and left, taking the scroll of questions and test with him. Professor Snape watched him go, surprised. He blinked as the door closed and was back to his usual, unamused, irritable-looking self.

"Any injuries?" he asked in a dry voice. Nick raised a hesitant hand.

"I landed wrong when the pixies dropped me," he said. He was ushered out of the room. Madam Pomfrey bustled in about ten minutes later with a slightly limping Nick. She tended to everyone, tutting.

"Well, at least there's fewer injuries than last time he unleashed the pixies," she grumbled as she checked Paige over. She pressed a small vial of potion into her hand. "Drink this for your nerves, dear."

"Okay," Paige said, obediently downing the potion, which left a bitter aftertaste. At lunch, the disastrous Defense Against the Dark Arts class was the buzz of the school, even among the teachers. Professor Lockheart sat bitterly glaring at the Slytherin table, narrowing his eyes even further when he spotted Paige. _Well,_ she thought to herself, _you shouldn't have run away from the mess you made, Lockheart._


	21. Chapter 20

Paige was most assuredly happy with the progress the students in the Frontier were making. There were now over 80 students, roughly twenty from each House. She had given them a quiz at the beginning of the lesson previous and was working on marking them. It was a Friday evening and she didn't have much to care about. She could catch up on sleep, the tests weren't overly hard to mark, and it was relaxing, soothing even, to correct mistakes and encourage right answers. She was using the Muggle grading system, always out of 100%. The door opened and she stared at it, scared of who might enter. Professor McGonagall poked her head in and she closed her eyes, thankful it wasn't Professor Lockheart.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall," she said before returning to marking.

"Hello, Paige," said the professor. "One of my Gryffindors mentioned that you were teaching them something here." Her eyes widened and she looked up at her Transfiguration teacher in utter panic. "What exactly are you teaching here?"

"Um," she said in a tiny voice, "Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Isn't that Professor Lockheart's job?"

Paige felt anger flash through her, hot and painful. She said only one word in response to that. "Pixies."

She didn't need to explain further. Professor McGonagall, along with the other Heads of Houses, had heard plenty about the botched pixies display Lockheart had performed. Many students bore injuries that were going to take weeks to heal. Professor McGonagall nodded, pursing her lips and looking down slightly. She flicked her gaze up to the pile of quizzes Paige was marking. "Are those...tests?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah. I figured we'd learn three lessons then take a quiz so it's easier for end-of-term exams. Since Professor Lockheart isn't teaching us much, I've been asked by this group to, er, keep teaching," she said.

"What have they learned so far?"

"I taught them a restrictive spell that those in my class used to control the pixies, preventing all but one major injury. There were only a few minor injuries because of that spell."

Professor McGonagall nodded. "Does Professor Dumbledore know of this?"

"Er, no. He knows I've taught a bunch of people spells, but doesn't know there's a whole group dedicated to learning Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'd rather not share that knowledge with Professor Lockheart for obvious reasons," she said. Professor McGonagall chuckled.

"Well, I'll let you get back to marking then escort you to your Common Room. It's nine-thirty and Mr. Filch is out prowling," she said.

"Thanks for the warning, I was afraid I'd have to have Nunu be my lookout."

The Gryffindor Head nodded with a chuckle. The door opened again and Professor Snape entered. Once again, Paige sighed with relief.

"There you are," he said spotting her. "People were asking where you were, so I asked a Slytherin student where to find you and he said that you'd likely be here."

"Yeah, just marking a test I gave the group I'm teaching," she said. The Frontier had given her a good boost of confidence, not enough for her to feel comfortable if the door opened, but just enough. She was performing well in her classes, improving because of her new-found confidence.

"Test?" Snape asked.

"Yeah," she said. He came around and looked at one of the marked tests. "More like a quiz, but I figure if we have a quiz every three lessons it'll make it easier when the end-of-term exam comes, if Professor Lockheart doesn't improve by then." He scowled at her but she returned it with an annoyed look. "Pixies." The scowl faded, replaced by an equally annoyed look as understanding took over.

"That really is a good example," he relented. "I see your point. Would you like some assistance?"

"Uh, sure. Do you need an, uh, an answer sheet?" she asked.

"Might not hurt," he said pulling up a desk with the flick of a wand. "Minerva, would you care to join us?" Giving in Professor McGonagall sat in another desk and the three of them finished the marking. Afterward, Professor Snape walked her down to the Slytherin Common Room. It was only quarter to ten, so she wasn't overly late for curfew, and there were still a few people up and chatting with each other.


	22. Chapter 21

The one good thing about Lockheart is that he bragged about his memory. It gave Paige an idea. That day at lunch, after eating, she nipped off to the Frontier room and scratched out the spell she'd been going to teach, writing over it a new spell, one she figured would be useful for those looking to work for the Ministry or as Aurors. She was beginning to learn more and more about the wizarding world into which she was born.

" _Prae Incantatum_ ," she said. She pointed her wand at the chalkboard and the incantation wrote itself in an elegant script she'd been practicing in her spare time. It fell pleasantly, but not illegibly on the eyes. It was reminiscent of an old English font with the highly ornate lettering. She'd modified it so it was in cursive writing, which she'd learned in Muggle school, and she often found herself absently writing using said script. On tests she'd even gotten comments about how lovely the writing looked, even if the answer was wrong. About halfway through October, the Frontier hadn't met that week due to Quidditch practice being so crucial. Gryffindor had won the match that day, so she knew that if the Frontier didn't ask her about class, they'd be antsy to get started the next week. The door opened and a seventh year Ravenclaw poked his head in. "Hey, Sketch." Everyone called him Sketch because he was either doodling or doing other artsy things in his spare time. He once drew a photo-realistic rose on the top corner of his Transfiguration test (the written part) and Professor McGonagall had questioned him about it.

"Hey, Paige," he greeted her. He approached the desk and stood awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

"Is there something you need help with?" she inquired looking up at him.

"I was wondering if I could get a step up because I'm leaving a week early for Christmas break," he said.

"Well, I'll be teaching the spell on the board next week," she said, indicating the words written there. "It's a memory spell that allows you to summon and witness the most traumatic incident in any given place or from any given item. It makes investigating infinitely better." She tilted her head as she looked at the spell. "I might also teach you guys how to enchant a bubble charm to capture the memory and hold it."

"Awesome!" he said. "So can I take some private lessons?"

She gave him an alarmed, concerned look. "Would you be willing to learn with other seventh years?" she said after a moment of sizing him up.

"Yeah, absolutely. We've been discussing whether to ask you for private lessons so we can learn more before we graduate," he said.

"Then alright," she said. "Gather any seventh years that aren't too busy celebrating or comforting and tell them that if they want private lessons to meet me here tonight."

He nodded and left, pausing briefly at the door with a slightly alarmed yip. "Oh, uh, hello, Professor," he stammered.

A voice she recognized answered. "Hello, Mr Jenson," it said, a dry, monotone droning. She sighed with relief.

"It's alright, Sketch," she called. "Professor Snape knows. He's helped me with the marking."

"Oh," Sketch said, relief evident in his voice. "Okay then. Have fun, Paige." He turned and darted down the hall. Professor Snape leaned into the room.

"Just informing you that your Potions classes have been cancelled for today. There's been another attack," he said. Her alarmed look hit him with an almost physical force. "Don't worry, no death. Another petrified student."

"Oh, that's terrible," she said, trying not to show her relief that it wasn't a death. She turned to her _Encyclopedia_. "Show me information on petrification." She paused for a moment, allowing the book to present the information. "Alright, let's see here." She flipped it open and began to read. As she took in the information, her eyes widened in horror and her jaw dropped. She groaned. "Y'gotta be kiddin' me. We're dealing with a Basilisk?!" Professor Snape entered, closing the door behind him.

He hovered over her shoulder, but she was able to ignore him as she pulled out a sheet of parchment and began noting what she was learning.  
 _  
Victims are being petrified. Only a Basilisk can petrify. Look it in the eyes directly, you die. Spiders flee before it but the crowing of a rooster kills it instantly.  
To cure someone who's been petrified, brew diced mandrakes._

"Biddy," she called as she returned her quill to its holder. With a _crack_ the house-elf appeared. "Do you know where we can get mandrakes quickly? We have a Basilisk problem." A deeply bothered look came over the house elf's face. "There's already been a few attacks, but I think I can figure out a way to overpower the scaly bastard."

"Language," scolded Professor Snape.

"Sorry, sir," she said.

Biddy had a curled finger to her chin, looking hard at the floor as she thought. "Mistress Black's mother grew mandrakes. Asked Biddy to keep an eye on them. Biddy has done so," said the elderly house-elf at length. "Biddy will fetch them."

"Just be careful. Mandrakes issue a high wailing that can kill," she said.

"House-elves are safe to mandrake shrieking. We only need light ear guards. May Biddy borrow the gardening pair?"

"Of course."

"Would Biddy still be allowed to work for Mistress Black?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't you be?"

"A house elf is bound to serve one family their whole lives dutifully unless they are freed with a piece of clothing."

"Oh, okay."

With another _crack_ the house elf disappeared.


	23. Chapter 22

That night at seven, Paige was making her way to the Frontier room from the Slytherin Common Room when Professor Snape stopped her.

"Where are you going?" he asked her.

"I'm heading up to the seventh floor right across the hall from Barnabas the Barmy," she said. "The same place you found me earlier. The seventh years want to get in some extra lessons, so I agreed. I'm thinking of teaching them at least the incantation for a Patronus spell at some point. Tonight, though, I'm teaching them _Prae Incantatum_ , a memory spell that allows the one who casts the spell to witness the most traumatic incident in any given place or from any given item." She looked up at him, turning slightly to continue her journey. "Would you care to join us? It'll be over by nine at the latest."

"Well, alright. That way Gilderoy can't yell at you and you alone for going outside his classroom to learn and teach," Professor Snape said.

Paige checked her watch. They had fifteen minutes to be up there and set up for the seventh years. She and Snape made their way to the Frontier room. When she opened the door she found a bunch of seventh years already seated. "Hey guys, hope you don't mind, but Professor Snape has asked to be present to supervise the lesson so Professor Lockheart doesn't get all salty," she said. There were a few nervous chuckles.

"It-it's fine," said Sketch after exchanging anxious glances with the other seventh years. There were nods, enthusiastic ones from the Slytherin seventh years.

"Great," she said bringing her hands together to stop them from shaking so badly. Professor Snape nodded his thanks and sat in a chair. "So, today I figured I'd give you guys a boost for next week. The Frontier will be learning _Prae Incantatum_ , which you might want to write down." She explained briefly what the spell did, where it fell categorically, and the wand movements. "This one can also be done without a wand, though it's not quite as effective or clear." She checked the _Encyclopedia_ to confirm there was nothing that could cause damage to anyone, then facepalmed. "I am such an idiot. I forgot to bring items..."

"I think I can handle that," Professor Snape said speaking at last. He stood and left the room, returning a few moments later with various objects. "Shouldn't be anything too harsh about the memories ingrained in these items."

Everyone nervously approached them. Paige gave them a wary look before glancing up at her House Head. The seventh years followed her tentative lead and picked a different item, returning to their desks with them. They each made stammering attempts at casting the spell properly.

After a few minutes, a seventh year Hufflepuff girl yelped. They all looked at her, concerned. She covered her mouth, her eyes wide. She pointed wordlessly at the ornate candlestick before her. Paige and the others surrounded her desk, all casting the memory spell.

 _A merry fire blazed nearby. A purring cat lay peacefully on the couch beside the same ornate candlestick from which the memory had sprung. With horrifying speed, an ember flew from the fireplace and landed on some papers, quickly spreading throughout the room until it consumed everything burnable. All that remained was the candlestick._

Paige and the others all leapt back, eyes wide as saucers, tense and feeling hot as though they'd been singed by the fire within the memory. They looked at each other, gasping for air.

"Well," Paige said as she caught her breath. "N-now we know the story behind this candlestick, hehe." They all gave their own nervous chuckles.

Slowly, one by one, they made their way through each item, living through the memories contained within. Eventually, they ran out of items and returned, shakily, to their desks. Paige sat at the large, beautiful mahogany desk which had the Hogwarts crest engraved on the front. There were colored layers making up each of the houses. Each animal moved around as though it were in its natural habitat. The handles on the desk were made of a highly polished brass that matched the tones of the wood with stunning appeal. After five minutes, Professor Snape spoke again.

"It's seven-thirty," he said.

"What? That's not possible," Paige said instinctively. "We spent at least a minute in each memory, some of them several. How could it possibly have taken less than an hour?"

"The memories exist in the past. A second passed for each item you touched, but it seemed longer as you lived through each memory," he said. They all boggled at this for a while before Paige decided that they'd learned enough for the day.

"We should all go back to our Common Rooms. We-I don't think we can mentally process much more, especially of _that_ spell." They laughed tiredly and agreed.


	24. Chapter 23

Paige had finally managed to group the Frontier together after three weeks without one. The only lessons she'd been teaching were the seventh years. She walked into the Frontier room and found everyone excitedly waiting for her.

"Hey, guys," she said. "So, today, I figured we'd learn a memory spell. _Prae Incantatem_ -"

"Is used to summon the most traumatic memory of an item or place," they all chorused. She blinked.

"Y-yeah, how did you-" she began, worried she might have taught them all without realizing it.

"Some seventh years taught us," a Hufflepuff first year piped.

"Oh," she said. "So...You guys wanna learn how to cast a Patronus? It's a really advanced spell, but kinda useful for dealing with Dementors, which guard Azkaban."A few "sures" and nods and she pointed her wand at the board. A few whimsical animal shapes formed, accenting the words that soon wrote themselves. " _Expecto Patronum_ is the spell we use to cast a Patronus, a protector made of only the most happiest of memories. Close your eyes and pick one." Everyone followed her instructions and she did as well. She remembered being in a bright, sunny field on a blanket with her mother, who was laughing as she rolled around in the grass. "And when you've got one, say _Expecto Patronum_." As she said that, her wand shot out a bright, slightly glowing ball of light that soon took on the form of a ferret-like animal. She blinked again before checking to see how the Frontier was doing. Most of them struggled, but a few were able to cast a Patronus successfully. A horse, a Yorkshire Terrier, a penguin, an eagle, and a cougar all graced the air with their white light.

"It's perfectly fine to not cast one right away as they are really difficult. Even the most powerful wizards and witches struggle with it sometimes," she said. "It always takes the form of your spirit animal. Don't be disheartened if yours isn't the shape you thought it'd be."

The second attempt yielded much better results and by the third, nearly everyone was casting their Patronus with relative ease. When they were dismissed, Paige found herself quite pleased. She checked the time and found that it was only half-past eight, so she decided to stick around and do some lesson planning.


	25. Chapter 24

Before she knew it, Paige was faced with the first crucial test: end-of-term exams, which included the ones she had to write and sit for the Frontier. She wasn't too worried as she was doing quite well in each of her classes, except for Lockheart's. He claimed it was because she was a bad student. Professor Snape, she knew, believed otherwise.

She sat in Snape's office to serve one of the many detentions she'd been given by Lockheart for "sassing" him by saying "Is it going to be an actual Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, or just another Gilderoy Lockheart 101?" Slytherin was in danger of having no House points by Christmas, but when word of the reasoning for it ran around the Common Room, only the girls who adored Lockheart chewed her out. Everyone else laughed.

Professor Snape offered her a cup of tea, which they both drank. There was an odd aftertaste in hers and she glared at it before eyeing him suspiciously. "Don't worry, it's just something to help with your anxiety," he said. Her eyes narrowed further. "My god, you look just like your father when you do that."

"When I do what? Get suspicious when someone spikes my drink?" she asked, a hard edge to her voice.

He raised an eyebrow, his black eyes searching for an out to the situation. He changed the subject. "So how are things with the forefront? That is what you call the group you teach, right?"

"It's the Frontier," she said patiently.

"Right, sorry. Why'd you choose that name again?"

"Well, what's a frontier?"

"An unexplored piece of land or area. Also a border between two countries, and-" He took a sip of tea. When he didn't continue, instead staring at the door, Paige turned and saw Professor Dumbledore standing with his hands behind his back, a calm demeanor with a slight ghost of a smile on his face.

"Hi, Professor Dumbledore," she greeted him automatically.

He nodded to her just as Professor Snape set down his teacup a little harder than necessary. "Albus," he said. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Plenty enough," replied the Headmaster. "Mind telling me what you've been teaching your group, Paige?" Her eyes widened. "I've known for a while."

Her heart sank. _Aaaand there goes my magical education,_ she thought. She lowered her gaze and dug around in her satchel until she found the list she had compiled and then charmed so that if a spell has been covered completely (written/theory, pronunciation, practical) it would show up as bright green. If it was just touched on but not completed, it was a vibrant but still legible yellow, and if it wasn't yet discussed, it was written in black ink. She passed this information on to Professor Dumbledore.

"How often do you meet?" he asked as he looked at the list.

"Thursdays, seven-o-clock," she mumbled. "Unless there's Quidditch practice, in which case we postpone or cancel."

"Hm," he said. "How much of this did Professor Lockheart teach you?"

"None of it," she said, a little more testily than she intended. He looked at her, causing her to duck her head. "Sorry, sir. I just get a bit upset when someone doesn't do their job."

He nodded understandingly before resuming his reading. As he read, she fidgeted, tapping her toes, twisting the strap on her satchel, petting Nunu obsessively when the calico British Short-Hair jumped up onto her lap, and biting her nails. It was only when she checked her watch that Professor Dumbledore addressed her without looking up. "When's your next meeting?"

"Uh, we were going to meet tonight, but I might not have enough time to get up there," she said nervously.

He finally looked at her again over his half-moon spectacles. "Then we'd better go," he said. She looked at him in both confusion and alarm. "I'd like to see what your lessons have lead to, and ask your group what they learned and with whom."

"Oh," she said. "Uh, okay then. Let's, er, let's go." She rose, Nunu sliding to the ground while Professor Snape stood to go with them. They left the office and found a fuming Lockheart standing in the Entrance Hall. She froze, eyes wide, shoulders hunched in on herself, making herself as small as possible.

"So," said Lockheart, his voice as dangerous as a coiled snake. Fear wrapped a clawed hand around her throat, choking her. "You've got a group, eh? Think you can do a better job than I can, eyh?! I am a fully trained Wizard, you are a stupid, insignificant, dishonorable witch! Who the hell do you think you are?" Anger flared within her.

"I'm the student witch who is actually teaching a group of people to defend themselves against the Dark Arts. If we came up against a Dementor, what are we supposed to do, scream your favorite color at it?! Do we offer it a bottle of firewhiskey like your favorite drink?" she shouted. He moved so quickly, she barely had time to react. Her wand was out and at the ready before she knew it. "Just admit it: you're a fraud. You don't know how to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts because you've never done so before!"

"How dare you!" Professor Snape shifted around to her right for a better shot at Lockheart in case he tried anything stupid. A group of students formed, leaning over the railings of the staircases for a good look. Everything was a blur after that. Lockheart started to speak and was immediately Disarmed by Professor Dumbledore, followed by about fifty yellowish-red balls of light wrapping ropes around him. He'd been interrupted saying " _Avada_."

It took a second for everything to register, but once it did, Paige swayed. Snape steadied her with a hand on her shoulder while he got a chair from his office with his wand. She dropped into it, her legs unable to support her as the shock of the whole situation hit her.  
Lockheart had tried to kill her while the Headmaster was around and with her Frontier looking on. Dumbledore Disarmed Lockheart while her Frontier hit him with _Tetio_.

 _Oh my god..._ she thought to herself. _I really_ am _useless._

"You're not useless," Professor Dumbledore said as though reading her thoughts. "No one could have predicted he'd try to kill you, not with me standing here anyways." She began to tremble. Dumbledore looked to Snape. "Get her to Poppy." The Head of Slytherin nodded once and gently coaxed her to her feet. As they started off, the students that had saved her surrounded them, shielding her from view.


	26. Chapter 25

As she lay in the hospital wing that night, Paige processed what had occurred, and what followed immediately after. When she was settled into bed, the Frontier came forward and comforted and encouraged her. The realization that her teachings were paying off brought tears to her eyes in abundance. A couple people sat on the bed beside her and hugged her, soothing her and allowing her to regain control of her emotions. Harry stuck around the longest of the students, Ron and Hermione being escorted out by Professor McGonagall as it was well past curfew.

Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape were arguing in whispers not far off, the quiet hissing creating a pleasant white noise in the background. It reduced Lockheart's outraged blasting to little more than occasional volume spikes.

"So, how are you feeling?" Harry asked her after a while.

"Oh, y'know, still on edge, but not as much as before. I could sleep, but am afraid to because I don't want to have nightmares of that," she said. He laughed.

"I know what you mean," he said.

"What do you think will happen now?" she asked as Professor Dumbledore and Snape ceased arguing and came over to them.

"He'll be taken to Azkaban, there's no question that he made an attempt on your life," the Headmaster said. There was a steeliness to his eyes that gave her no question as to whether her attacker would ever be back at Hogwarts.

She nodded and everyone was quiet. "If there's one thing to be learned from this whole experience," she said, "it's that you don't insult someone's ego, especially if it's that big." Harry burst out laughing while Snape pursed his lips in a vain attempt at hiding his laughter. Professor Dumbledore chuckled.

"You did good by them," he said to her. She looked up at him, confused before it clued in that he was talking about the Frontier. "I'd dare hazard a guess that you earned their respect and loyalty. It's something that truly is worth noting."

She smiled in spite of herself. "Thank you," she said.

She rolled over in the present and found herself asleep.

* * *

Sirius woke with a jolt as an outraged voice that sounded perfectly sane came down the hallway. He cautiously approached the bars and peered out, ready to leap back from the metal in case Dementors floated by. A handsome young man with a malicious gleam in his eye was being dragged down the hall. It was a moment before who the man was registered.

"Gilderoy Lockheart?" he said without thinking.

"Don't ask," one of the guards said.

"Well, he's a great wizard, what the hell did he do?" replied Sirius.

"Tried to kill a kid at Hogwarts. Young girl in first year." His stomach lurched.

"And I'd have done so too if it hadn't been for Albus and those damn kids she taught!" snarled Lockheart. Relief flowed through his veins. Then Lockheart said something else, something that made his blood boil. "Dumbass little bastard child," he grumbled as the door to his cell was slammed shut. "If Dumbledore hadn't Disarmed me, Black would've died." He caught sight of Sirius' face and his own twisted into a furious look. "Yeah, it was your kid. So what? You can't do anything in here."

Sirius retreated to the window to look out, as he had so often done. _I'm gonna get out of here and find her,_ he thought to himself. _I need her to know that she's not alone. Well, she's not entirely alone, she's got her mother, but still._


	27. Chapter 26

A few days later, Paige was invited to sit with Professor Dumbledore to discuss how she was coping with everything. She was hesitant, but figured there wasn't much she could really do to refuse. It'd be rude and her mother wouldn't have liked her being rude to a teacher (though in Lockheart's case, she wouldn't have cared). As she walked toward the gargoyle that marked the entrance to the Headmaster's office, she found herself suddenly nervous. Would she be in trouble for not only sassing a teacher, but insulting him into an open and blatant attack?

"Password?" said the stone guardian.

"Um, Sherbet Lemon," she guessed. The gargoyle neatly stepped aside and she climbed the spiral staircase behind it. At the top of the stairs a great, lovely looking wooden door. She nodded approvingly before raising a hand to knock.

"Enter," Professor Dumbledore said. She opened the door and found all four Heads sitting there along with Professor Dumbledore and a man she didn't recognize but who seemed perplexed. She froze, unsure of what to do. She sat down in a chair the Headmaster nodded to and clasped her hands to keep from fidgeting.

The man she didn't recognize spoke first. "Hello, Agatha, I'm Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic. Professor Dumbledore mentioned that you were sharing your knowledge of Defense Against the Dark Arts with some of your fellow students," he said. Her heart both dropped and soared at the same time. He was here about the Frontier, of course.

"Uh, yeah. We, er, call ourselves the Frontier because we're exploring something that's relatively new to us," she said.

"May I request that you call together those you teach to see the skills they've acquired?" he said.

"Um, okay," she said. She pulled out her wand and a ball of light appeared. "Summon the Frontier, tell them to meet in the usual place. The Minister of Magic wants to see their skillset." The orb flashed once briefly before zipping off, slipping underneath the door and through the school, spreading the message.

"Well, we should get going, then," Professor Dumbledore said. Everyone stood up and followed a nervous Paige as she lead them up to the seventh floor. She summoned the Room and entered. "Huh. All my years and I never learned of this place."

"I think you just gotta need it bad enough," she said. "Harry and I tested it and you can't open it by thinking 'I need to find so-and-so', you have to need to use the room."

Within a few moments, the Frontier up to the fifth year entered excitedly, if a bit anxiously. "Is this all?" Fudge asked.

"No, the sixth and seventh years are probably busy studying," she said. He nodded in understanding.

The Patronus of a fox cantered through the air and Fudge stared at it, gobsmacked. "Is that a-?"

"A Patronus, yes. I decided to teach them how to cast one, just in case," she said. She heard Professor Dumbledore chuckle with amusement.

"It seems that you've got your mother's desire to share knowledge and your father's confidence," he said. Snape's nose wrinkled at the mention of Sirius Black. The door opened again and the remainder of the Frontier entered, along with a few curious students.

"And we're all here," Paige said. She pointed her wand at the wall nearest the door and a platform with stairs melted out of the stone bricks. "You guys can all watch from that platform if you'd like. Oh, and here's a list of spells I've taught. If it's green it means we've covered it in it's entirety: theory, written, pronunciation, and practice. Professor Flitwick and Madam Pomfrey both attended the meetings where we were dealing with spells that could have disastrous results if they were mispronounced or miscast."

"Impressive," Fudge said. "How about teaching them _Ragellio_? I'd like to see your teaching method."

"Um...Well, there's a problem with that. They're already stressed as it is, and I'd rather not overload them," she said. She opened her _Encyclopedia_ nonetheless and looked at the spell in question. It wasn't too hard, maybe a bit of a pain, but still harmless. "Perhaps I could show them how to cast colors above their heads. It's something I learned to do to entertain myself in detention." She traced her wand through the air above her head, leaving a rectangle of a vibrant green the color of a Christmas tree. The Frontier gasped and "ooh'd." They looked at each other and nodded. "Alright then. Get your books out, sharpen your quills, and get ready for notes, because this lesson is gonna be quite theory-intensive, but this spell will _not_ be on your end-of-term exam in a weeks time." They nodded and prepared to take notes without question.

She made her way to the front of the room and with a flick down, the board cleared. She pointed her wand at the chalkboard and _Tangio Reglis_ wrote itself on the board with a rainbow that shimmered prettily across the top.

"Now, _Tangio Reglis_ is what summons a simple black rectangle above your head. Try it now, just stroke your wand through the air above your head." A flurry of black rectangles hung over their heads. "To change the color, think it really loudly in your mind as though you were doing nonverbal magic." Fudge made a noise halfway between a yelp and a snort. They all looked at him.

He cleared his throat. "Isn't it a bit odd to be teaching all students the same thing, regardless of their age?" he said, a stern, disciplinary tone to his voice.

"Ask them if they would rather be broken up into groups like they are in their other classes," she replied. The general consensus was that they preferred being grouped together and taught the same spells. "The only ones I give any sort of special treatment to is supplementary lessons for the seventh years. They insisted on them, so I've given them spells that aren't gonna overwork them, and even taught them one for destressing."

"Alright then, fine," Fudge said.

"Now, back to the lesson. To start, let's try closing our eyes and focusing on the color of your house. You can see them above me if you're not sure." The banner that bore the Hogwarts crest flapped lazily in a gentle breeze. They closed their eyes and focused on the color. Their rectangles wavered, then color shifted. She looked around then joined the adults on the platform to see how everyone was doing. There were still a few that was a singed version of their house color, but soon, with the help of their neighbors, they were all the exact hue, or very close to it, of their house. "Great." She descended the stairs. "Now, one more time then we'll be done with the lesson."

This time everyone was able to accomplish it the first time, without assistance. Professor Dumbledore nodded approvingly.  
Fudge, however, still wasn't quite convinced. "Why didn't you get another teacher to help you instead of doing it on your own?" he demanded.

"Yeah, 'cause, y'know, they've got loads of free time and don't have to worry about anything at all," she said in a completely monotone, deadpan voice. There was strangled laughter from the Frontier. Professor Snape whipped around and faced the wall, not wanting anyone to see his face redden from the laughter he was slowly allowing out.

"Well alright then, smartass. Let's see how they perform spellwise," Fudge said.

"No. Not today. They've earned a break and their end-of-term exams are next week for us, the week after for the rest of the classes." she said. "You may join us next Thursday at seven in this room to watch them sit the written part of their test, then the pronunciation and practice portion. Today, they need to focus on their other lessons, not mine." Fudge opened his mouth to protest, saw the logic behind it, snapped his mouth shut and left. "Frontier. You may go. You're dismissed." The seventh, sixth, and fifth years all bolted for the door, stopping only long enough to shake her and and thank her before scurrying off to their studies.


	28. Chapter 27

Three days later, Paige was busy working in the library so she wasn't alone, when she overheard some Hufflepuffs nearby discussing Harry and the attacks.

"Mind if I interrupt?" she said approaching their table.

"What's it to you?" said a third year Hufflepuff boy.

"Excuse you, I've lived with Harry since I was five and see him as a brother. What's your reasoning behind Harry being the one responsible for these attacks?" she said.

"He can speak to snakes," was his reply.

"So can I. I can change into a snake, Burmese python, to be exact. Because of that, I can talk to snakes," she said. "Being able to speak Parseltongue doesn't automatically mean you're a bad person. It just means you have an unusual gift. True, You-Know-Who could speak to them as well, but that doesn't mean Harry's the Heir of Slytherin." There was movement and a troubled looking Harry stepped out from behind the bookshelves. The Hufflepuffs cowered before him while Paige merely watched with interest.

"Thanks for sticking up for me," he said to her.

"You'd do the same for me," she said. They exchanged smiles. To the Hufflepuffs, she said, "Might want to scarper off." They gathered their stuff and bolted for the door. He sat down in one of their recently vacated chairs with a heavy sigh. She gave him a half-smile and sat next to him. "Everything okay?"

He snorted. "You, of all people, should know it's not," he said after a moment. She sat patiently waiting for him to continue. "Everyone thinks I'm the one doing these attacks."

"Not everyone, Harry," she reminded him. "Only those who are too stupid to think straight." He laughed.

"Well then that's an awful lot of people," he said humorlessly. She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Keep your chin up, don't let their pestering get to you," she said. "Like I told them, I can, occasionally, hear a voice whispering in the walls, and I know I'm not entirely crazy because Nunu hisses at them when I hear the voice."

"Hm..." he said. "Maybe we should both go to Professor Dumbledore. Ron and Hermione told me not to go to him, but since you can hear it too, what do you think?"

"Well..." she trailed off, thinking. If they went to Professor Dumbledore, the revelation that both of them were hearing a voice might cause him to panic and shut down Hogwarts. On the other hand, if they didn't go to the Headmaster, he might become furious at them for not mentioning it before. "It's a tough call, I guess."

"Yeah, I see what you mean." He looked over to the table she had left and nodded to the stuff there. "Working on studying? Or is that stuff for the Frontier?"

"Frontier," she said. "Working on the master copy of the end-of-term exam, since Lockheart's not gonna give us one." He nodded.

"How are you coping with that whole situation, by the way?"

"How did you deal with it the first time, in memory, that you were openly attacked?"

"Well, I don't remember the night my parents died, but when Quirrel attacked, I was pretty shook up for a while." She gestured to him.

"There ya go."


	29. Chapter 28

Thursday came before she knew it and as she climbed the stairs to the seventh floor on her way to the Frontier room, Paige was nervous, excited, and anxious all at the same time. With her she had, once again, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and Cornelius.

After summoning the room and entering, the trio found all members of the Frontier excitedly waiting for her. Since Lockheart's attack took place the day they were going to review, she hadn't had time to bring them up to speed on what they'd be covering. She could only hope that the anticipation wasn't about everything they'd covered, which included the Unforgivable Curses (theory, not the pronunciation of the curses themselves, just what they're called).

"Welcome, everyone, to the first ever Frontier exam. Since Professor Lockheart can't be here, for obvious reasons, I decided that we still need to continue our magical education. I've created an exam that has most of what we've studied this year with a couple of exceptions that we covered during those lessons," she said. She pointed her wand at the board and 2:00:00 appeared on the screen. Four stacks of exams stood nearby. "I've also created extras in case anyone needs to start over or in case the three wizards joining us today would like to try their hand at this exam. You know, just in case they want to see what we've learned and such." With a flick of her wand, the exams were distributed to each member of the Frontier. She looked at the three wizard guests. "Would you care to try? It's fine if you'd rather not, and I'd only ask that you do the theory part, not the actual practice."

"I, for one, would love to take this exam," Professor Dumbledore said. Professor Snape walked forward and grabbed two exams, one for himself, the other for the Headmaster.

"Well, it couldn't hurt, I suppose," Fudge said. An exam floated over to him.

She grinned and waved her wand once again, summoning three desks from an alcove. They landed gracefully, in spite of the tattered look about them. "Don't worry, they're completely safe." Turning to address the Frontier, she said, "You have one hour for the written part, one hour for practical, and remember to change the color of your name to the color of your house. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, if you'd like, you may use a black outline as well so your name doesn't fade into the parchment." She sat down at her desk with her own exam in front of her, a fresh quill, half-full bottle of ink. She remembered in a flash to summon three sets of writing utensils for their guests. "Two hours on the clock, you may begin."

At that, she shot a ball of sparkling blue light at the board, which was floating by this point, and the seconds began ticking away. She placed a smaller blackboard at an angle so the wizards could see the spell for changing the color of ink. They nodded at her and then turned their attention back to their exams. She put her wand away and began answering questions. The written part wasn't hard, just a bit lengthy. There was even a drawing part where you had to draw the rough wand motions for each spell (How do you draw a flick?).

She did her best and when she finally finished her exam, she looked over the answers and was satisfied. She returned her quill to its holder and looked around. Fudge was bent low over his exam, tongue plastered over his right cheek. Professor Dumbledore was scowling at his exam. Snape seemed to have a few issues, but was breezing through it. Everyone else? They were all sitting patiently watching her for the most part. She looked at the clock and saw it had only been 45 minutes, there being one and a quarter hours left.

She gave them a few minutes more and when Fudge threw down his quill in frustration and Professor Dumbledore rubbed his temple, she knew it was time. She stood up and cast a spell sounding a gong, letting everyone know the written part was over. "Alright, since everyone in the Frontier has finished, let's move on to the practical. Leave your exams on the table and stand behind your desk," she said. She used her wand and lifted her exam and everyone else's into the air. Pointing the tip of her wand at the long, low table that had a slight bow to it, all exams obediently flew over and settled into organized stacks. The desks lifted and sailed through the air back to the alcove from whence they came, and practice dummies sprang forward. She turned to the three authority figures. "If you guys would like, you may wait and watch as we do our practical portion. I'll summon the platform and you can go up and use a stress ball. I find them quite relaxing."  
Fudge was clearly muttering curses under his breath as he climbed the stairs once again. Professors Dumbledore and Snape both climbed after him, the Potions master had a calm, almost happy look on his face.

By the time they finished the practical portion, everyone and their Patronus was floating through the air using a spell she'd taught about halfway through the first term. "Alright," she said while laughing. There were some students who were upside down and looking quite silly indeed. "Now, orient yourselves toward the ground and return safely to the floor. Preferably on your feet."

Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, stood and applauded as they all landed gracefully (or like an ox in some cases). "Now _that_ , is impressive," he said. "Yes, I do believe that if everyone stays on and keeps this whole Frontier business going, this will be the best trained group of witches and wizards we've seen in a while. Don't you agree, Albus?"

"Indeed," Professor Dumbledore said as he rose. "Wonderful job, everyone. And an excellent job teaching them, Paige." Pride swelled within her as his praise washed over her. There was a deafening roar as the entire Frontier cheered for her. She choked up and tears of pure, radiant joy streamed down her cheeks.

Professor Snape nodded at her and gave her a thumbs up, which something told her was very unusual for anyone in the wizarding world.

"Thank you," she somehow managed to get out. "I'm just happy I could teach everyone something useful." Looking for something to distract herself with, she found the exams and gestured to them. "I, uh, I'll have them marked for next week. For those who are leaving early for Christmas holiday, I'll have your results sent through the owlpost to you." The curfew bell sounded and everyone's Patronus disappeared in an instant as they all hurried off to bed. She wiped her eyes and began to pack her belongings shakily. Why did being overly happy lead to tears? Why couldn't it lead to something cooler, like glowing? She looked up as the last students left and the three she had invited approached her desk.

"You did well by them, Paige," Professor Dumbledore said.

"Indeed," Professor Snape said.

"When they graduate, the seventh years that want to work for the Ministry will be chosen first, certainly," Fudge said. That meant more to her than anything.

Knowing that her help would ensure that at least some of the students she was teaching would have a job made her chew her lips to keep from crying again.

Professor Snape, likely sensing this, intervened. "Alright, now you've got a busy week of marking and studying ahead of you," he said. "You'd best be getting to bed." She nodded mutely and left, trying to clean her face off and calm down.

She slept wonderfully that night, simply divinely. The colors within her dream were a bright, vibrant collection of yellows, lively greens, oranges, and happy purples.


	30. Chapter 29

As Paige sat marking three days after the end-of-term exam, she heard Nunu hiss while looking at the door. She was instantly on high alert, ready for an attack. She pulled out her _Encyclopedia_ and opened it to her feather bookmark. There, spells that reveal magic in its purest form were waiting to be used. She mouthed the first spell and a mist emerged from her wand, settling over her eyes. Instantly, everything was overly bright, a side effect of the magics woven in and around Hogwarts. She pulled her green Slytherin bandana over her eyes and was able to see. It blocked out everything except the magic from a person or animal. She returned her marking quill to its holder by memory and stood, leaving her marking for the time being. She held her wand at the ready, _Tetio_ not far from her mind, and slipped out of the room, dropping a blindfold on Nunu to prevent her cat from being killed.

She closed the door and felt her cat blindly run into her ankles. She picked her up and dropped Nunu into her satchel. She then followed her instincts, keeping her wand down by her side as she peeked around corners. There was no one there. She tilted her ear as a voice hissed through the walls. She allowed it to guide her, hesitantly, down to the third floor. She sensed a very dark presence up ahead and down the hallway to the left. It took her a moment to realize this was where Mrs. Norris was attacked. She decided she'd need help from a teacher and turned around on the spot, looking for anyone. There was a cluster of lights a floor above and she made her way to them. She knocked on the door and heard Professor Dumbledore speak.

"Paige," he said. "What on earth are you wearing?"

"It's a bandana. It's blocking out some of the magics woven throughout Hogwarts so I can see without being hurt by direct sight," she explained. "I think I know what's been attacking people, if not who."

"Well, feel free to tell me," he said. "Just, take that thing off." She opened her _Encyclopedia_ and turned it to face him.

"Mind telling me the counter for this spell?" she requested, tapping blindly where she thought the spell she'd used was. She heard someone murmur the same spell and immediately regret it.

"Argh! Dim the lights!" Professor Flitwick cried, covering his eyes with a hand.

"It's not the lights, it's the magic of Hogwarts. That's why I put a bandana on," she said. She pawed around in her bag until she felt fabric similar to her bandana. She pulled it out and extended her arm. Someone took it from her and must have passed it to Professor Flitwick, or tied it around his eyes for him because a moment later he sighed with relief. "Not the wisest decision."

"It's fine, now I know which spell was used," Professor Snape muttered. Professor Dumbledore cast the counter on both of them and she uncovered first one eye, then the other when the light level wasn't blinding. She looked at Professor Flitwick and bit back a giggle. She'd accidentally handed over a bright pink bandana. He shoved it back to her, blushing deeply.

"Now, what do you think we're dealing with?" Professor Dumbledore asked, turning back to her.

"I'm pretty sure it's a Basilisk we're dealing with," she said. "I read in my _Encyclopedia_ that only a Basilisk, the king of the snakes, can petrify and kill with only a look. Everyone's been really lucky so far. That's why I learned to cast the spell that allows me to see things in their purest magical form. There's so much magic in Hogwarts that it's like looking into a hall of mirrors with the sun at one end: impossibly blinding."

Professor Dumbledore made a small noise in his throat. "Why didn't you mention this to me before?" he asked gently.

"I thought you'd be like everyone else and laugh," she said.


	31. Chapter 30

_At last!_ she thought as she entered the Frontier room and happily realized she was down to the last fifty exams to mark. _405 down, only fifty left! I'm on the home stretch._ She sat down with a heavy sigh, exhaustion sweeping over her. She rubbed her eyes and got out her marking stuff. Something she had taken to doing after the first test is adding stickers that she charmed herself. If, for example, the test had received a D (60-69), it got an apple sticker, which could be scratched and released the scent of apple pie. If the test had received a C (70-79), an apple sticker and a banana sticker were both put on there. The banana sticker smelled like banana bread. B students (80-89) got one gold star that glowed with a soft light. Students who scored above 90% got two gold stars. Finally those who scored a perfect 100% got a small gold star and a larger one that shimmered, changing through all the colors of the rainbow.

The door opened and Professor Snape poked his head in. He looked as tired as she felt, so she was surprised when he took up his usual seat and brought half the stack of exams over to him with a flick of his wand. "How many are left?" he asked.

"Fifty," she answered. "Are you sure you want to help? I can do this on my own. There's not that many left, and you've got your own class to mark, including my exam." She cringed, remembering the disaster her potion had turned into. The house-elves and Mr. Filch were still griping about how they couldn't get it off, even with powerful cleaners and magic. "Which I'm certain I flunked."

"At least you have a valid excuse," he said. "You're running this whole thing on the side, so I can't begrudge you for that. Besides," He smirked, "I've been wanting Filch to stop griping about the mess in the hallways for weeks. I remember your mother gave him hell. She got a detention and had to mop the Entrance hall. She was finished and Filch was just coming to check on her progress when every damn student tromped through the hall, muddying it up again." He chuckled. "She was not amused, especially since Filch accused her of not working. She cleaned it again, which took about two hours each time, mind, and the same thing happened. By the time she finished the third time, Filch arrived just in time to see the students march through. Your mother threw down the mop with a curse and stormed off."

"Can't say I blame her. I'd be frustrated to the point of tears," she said. "She didn't get another detention for that, did she?"

"Oh, no," he said, marking a tick beside an answer. "She was pampered, if anything. Filch apologized for not believing her the first time. which he was not happy about. She was even given special recognition at the end of the year, winning Ravenclaw the House Cup."

"Well, I can't say I blame him. If I was certain that someone had been slacking off, I wouldn't believe them either," she said. She held out a sheet of stickers. "If it's got a percentage in the sixties, it earned an apple sticker, just peel it off and stick it in the top corner. If it's got seventy or higher, it gets an apple and a banana." She explained the rest of the stickers. "Probably goes without saying, but it's essentially the Muggle way of marking, only going as high as 100%, maybe inching a bit higher with bonus points. It's what I'm most comfortable with."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you truly are strange," he said.

"Thanks, I flaunt it," she joked. He chuckled dryly. She sent the marked exam to the alphabetized piles and summoned a new one. "Ooh, here's Cornelius Fudge's exam."

"Kinda curious to see what he gets, since he struggled through it," Professor Snape commented.

"Same," she said. They lapsed into a comfortable silence, interrupted only by the scratching of quill over parchment and the occasional yawn. Finally, she marked the final question and tallied it all up. "Oo, 34%, that sucks." She wrote down the total and drew a quick sad face beside it.

Beside her Snape snorted. "Well, that's better than I expected," he murmured. "By the way, how the bloomin' hell do you expect us to draw a flick? Is it a swoosh, like this-" He traced his wand through the air "-or a dot like that?" He jabbed his wand at an imaginary point.

"Not gonna lie, that's why I put _Tetio_ in the drawing section as well as the theory," she said. "It's difficult, but not impossible. I just wanted to see if people drew it the same way. For the most part, people either did the frown in the frowny face, or the dot. It's pretty even."

Grumbling under his breath so she couldn't hear him, she and Snape both fell quiet once again. She summoned another exam after sending Fudge's to the marked piles and found Professor Snape's. She instinctively put a relatively short wall between them so he couldn't see what she was marking.

"Mine, I'm guessing?" he said without looking up.

"Yup," she said. "I marked Professor Dumbledore's earlier, he got 65%, passing, barely. He struggled, like everyone else, with the drawing section." She quietly continued marking until she came across the drawing section and found just a column of question marks. She suppressed a laugh, choosing instead to frown in amusement at the exam itself. She corrected this section before sending it to the marked pile without telling him his final grade. She moved onto the next exam as did Professor Snape. Finally, it was all finished. She pulled out a list of students who had signed the "Home for Christmas" list she'd left by the door.

"What's that-oh, list of students you need to mail their exam to?" She nodded. He leaned over and peeked at the list. "Not too many. What're your plans for everyone else?"

"Large brown envelopes with their names on it. It's gonna seem creepier than it needs to be," she said with a mischievous grin. "Now that they're all marked, all that's left to do is prepare for a surprise Christmas party."

"For the Frontier only?"

"For everyone who wants to come." She shrugged. "The Frontier is open to all ages, and all levels of magical competency, as long as the incompetent don't claim to be the greatest teacher in the whole world."

He barked a laugh before standing. He bid her goodnight and left.


	32. Chapter 31

Lunch time the next day, Paige woke up from a brief nap in the Frontier room to find Harry peeking in, looking for her. She scrubbed her eyes and sat up, sniffing to clear her sleep-plugged nose. "Hey," she said. "How're you?"

"Good, you look tired," he said. "What are you doing here instead of sleeping in?"

"Just because I don't have Defense Against the Dark Arts exam doesn't mean I don't have stuff to do today," she said, a little more testily than she had planned. "Sorry, just been sending out the exams to the students who left earlier. I haven't been sleeping all that great lately."

"Well, why not go to bed when we all do? Usually in Gryffindor we get back from the Frontier and go to bed at curfew," he said.

"I would, but the problem is, Harry, I need to make up for the fact that the Frontier has been distracting me from my other studies. I've gotta pass this year or I'll never forgive myself," she said.

He put a hand on her shoulder. He looked like he wanted to press her further, convince her that she should go to bed, but he decided to change the subject instead. "So, anything planned for tonight?"

"I was going to throw a Christmas party for everyone, but I don't know if I'll have the energy to decorate," she said miserably. She rested her chin on the mahogany desk and placed her right hand on her head, letting her elbow settle on the wood beside her.

"Then let me help," he said, catching her off guard. She looked up at him, sleep-deprivation confusing her. "Let me go get some reinforcements and we'll decorate this room together. What time is the party?"

"Usual time," she said slowly. She stood quickly and staggered.

"Whoa whoa, no, you go back to bed in the Slytherin Common Room. I'll organize everything and it'll be ready for seven. Meet here at half-six to do a final check and add anything you can think of," he said taking her by the shoulders as he steadied her. Her mind swam. "Don't worry, Paige. You've done enough to care for the Frontier, let the Frontier take care of you."

"But they helped save my life," she said, weakly protesting. She sighed. Turning to her _Encyclopedia_ she spoke to the cover. "Decorative spells." She waited a bit before opening the cover. A list of spells and their uses sprang up on the page as she turned to it. Harry got out some writing utensils and scratched them all down. The door opened again and Professor Dumbledore walked in. Harry filled him in quietly, not wanting her to work herself any harder than necessary.

"Well, Harry, you're absolutely right. She's certainly earned a rest," the Headmaster said kindly. "Yes, I think a party is just what we need. Go fetch Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, and Professor Flitwick. Bring them here and fill them in on the plan." Harry nodded and ran off, leaving an exhausted, drained Paige with a wise Headmaster. "You've been pushing yourself too hard."

"Well, I'm not so sure I've been doing enough. I mean, I've been doing poorly in my other subjects, and even though Professor Snape might say I have a valid excuse, I just feel like I've let my mother down," she said, tears being held back by willpower. She wouldn't cry, no matter how much she might want to. She had no right to cry. She could have easily just followed obediently, kept her head down, let Lockheart lead her to the inevitable negligible education, but no. She just had to go and stick her nose where it didn't belong.

"She'd be proud of you, y'know," Professor Dumbledore said as though sensing her thoughts. "You did what very few students would have had the courage to do. You followed your heart and expanded your mind, guiding those who chose to be lead by you. You needed to do this just as they needed you to do it. _That_ ," he paused, "is what allowed you to do so wonderfully. Grades don't make a person smart, they merely reflect a persons memory, not their intelligence." She took a few involuntary gasping breaths and the dams holding the tears back broke, releasing big fat tears to fall freely down her face. Professor Dumbledore smiled kindly. "Come. Let's get you to Madam Pomfrey's then to bed." She nodded and picked up her book, stowing it safely in her bag before allowing him to guide her.

Hours later, Paige awoke, refreshed and rested. She stretched luxuriously, yawning as she did so.

"Ah good, you're awake," said a dry voice next to her. She jumped and turned to face the girl who spoke. "I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to wake you." It was Pansy. About a month prior she'd decided to sit in on a Frontier lesson and found it both entertaining and educational. She'd stopped pestering Paige and had started treating her with something akin to kindness.

"Yeah," Paige said, stretching again. "What time is it?"

"Six-o-clock on the second," she said. "Professor Dumbledore told me to tell you that everything's ready and they're waiting for your approval before moving on with anything else." It took a second for this to make sense.

 _Why would Professor Dumbledore say tha-Oh my..._ "The Christmas party!" she yelped, leaping from bed and throwing on some clothes. "Thanks for telling me, Pansy!" And away she ran, turning into a sparrow to fly up to the seventh floor. Nunu was trotting down the hall when she changed back into her human form. She raced to the Frontier room and summoned it. She opened it and crashed into someone. "Sorry!"

"It's fine," Harry said, picking himself up. "We were wondering if you'd gotten the message."

"Yeah," she said breathlessly. "Flew up here as fast as I could. Sparrows are surprisingly fast when they need to be."

"Ready to see?" he said excitedly, practically bouncing with anticipation at her reaction. She nodded and he grabbed her wrist, dragging her forward. "So this is the entrance, it has a guest book and such, there's a place to grab some sparkling grape juice, in either color, red or white. Oh, these candy sweets are amazing, best I've ever had." They stepped further into the Frontier room and she gasped, her jaw dropping as she took everything in.

The high ceilings now had four chandeliers, the pillars had vibrant green garlands wrapped around them with different colored Christmas baubles on them. More garlands were hung from the wall in neat little sections, all pinned up with four large baubles in red, blue, green and a lovely yellow that was just gold enough that it wasn't like a sunset. A large Christmas tree was standing in the middle, bedecked in dazzling decorations and twinkling magic lights. Instead of being a sort of secretive, somber tone, the air now sang with everything bright, cheery, and wonderful in the world. At the top proudly stood a massive star with the Hogwarts crest in the middle. The four animals that represented each house leapt from their frames and twined around the tree, trailing glistening tails behind them. They approached her, nodded, then returned to their place at the top of the tree.


	33. Chapter 32

In spite of herself, she had to admit that she had quite enjoyed the Frontier Christmas party. There was an overall feeling of excitement, joy, peace, and the relaxing aroma of lavender, floating through the air. The memory of everyone in the Frontier toasting her in thanks for her hard work, made her roll over in her sleep, smiling broadly.

She opened her eyes and looked at the time. It was roughly half-eight, so she lay on her back, rubbed her eyes and sat up, ready to head to the Common Room to open presents, if there were any for her. A large stack of letters and a pile of presents that ultimately came to her shoulders was at the foot of her bed. Her jaw dangled as her sleep-addled brain tried to figure out if she was still dreaming. She had to stand on her bed to get the top envelope. It was from a sixth year Hufflepuff student. Her hands were trembling as she opened the letter. The first words she read after "Dear Paige" were expressing his gratitude. Regardless of the fact that she felt depressingly under-qualified, his letter simply dripped with complements. She finished reading it, slipped it back into the envelope, and picked up the next twenty, sitting down with them. She read these too, growing more and more overwhelmed with happiness with each letter. By the time she reached the end of the stack, she had about sixty cards, each of which had a letter as well. She guessed the cards were from those raised in the Muggle world, or who had some exposure to the Muggle culture.

She turned to the pile of presents and eagerly dug in, excited to see what she had gotten for gifts. By the time she was finished with the pile, there were sweets, treats, books, new quills, a great big fresh bottle of ink, and other odds and ends. There was even a board she recognized as a chess game. She tilted her head curiously and noticed a note with it. _This is Wizard's Chess. Command the pieces to victory,_ it read.

 _Huh,_ she thought. She picked up the last present. It was from Harry. She opened it and found a pretty pendant on a lovely silver chain. She smiled and flipped the pendant over. There was an inscription there. "Thanks for being you," it read. Guilt twanged at her heart. She'd neglected to get him anything. She looked at the toolkit beside her. Perhaps there _was_ something she could give Harry.

She lifted the tool container out and found all the supplies to make a music box. She began assembling it and tweaking the tune so it would sound pleasant and soothing. She put it together and inserted the crank, turning it to listen to it before she packed it. Sweet notes sang through the air. An inspired idea came to her and she summoned small white lights to take the form of a stag and some other animals swimming elegantly through the air. She attached it to a pretty red gem that looked like a ruby but was actually a red variant of beryl. She set it securely and spelled it so that it would never leave its placement, even after her death. She closed the top and got up. Dressing quickly she wrapped the music box in a simple satin bag the color of birch wood, just light enough to count as bright, but not purely white. She pulled the ties tightly and hurried to find Harry. She couldn't find him in the usual places so she looked into the Great Hall. He waved at her and she sighed with relief. There weren't a whole lot of people at breakfast, only five when she arrived and twelve by the time she was settled. She sat beside Harry, across from Ron and Hermione.

"I feel bad admitting this, but I completely forgot to get you anything. So I made this for you instead," she said handing Harry the bag. He took out the music box and turned the handle. His eyes widened and an awed look settled on his face as the animals danced through the air like butterflies. When the music began to repeat, the animals snapped back to the box top. He closed it reverently.

"Thank you," he said as a grin split his face.

"It was all I could think of, sorry it's not as grand as it would have been had I spent days working on it," she said. Several people came over to inspect it, including Professor Dumbledore, who had spied the floating animals from the head of the table.

"This is exquisite," he remarked as he studied the music box from over Harry's shoulder. Harry held it up to him and he turned it over. He gently took the crank and turned it, starting the music once again and beginning the animal's ballet.

"I don't know if that would count as magic being performed around Muggles when Harry and I go back to the Dursley's, if so, I'll add another charm to prevent it from opening in the presence of Muggles," she said.

"No, I think the only thing you'll need to worry about are the animals," he said quietly as though talking to himself. "What gem did you use?"

"It's a small red stone called beryl; it's not a ruby or a false gem, just a different kind. Beryl used to be used as magnifiers for reading small print or clearing up vision for Muggles who hadn't invented glasses yet," she said. A couple Ravenclaw students' faces lit up.


	34. Chapter 33

The first Thursday after Christmas holiday, everyone in the Frontier was chatting excitedly when Paige walked in, stopping in her tracks when she saw a noticeable increase in the attendance.

"Uh...How many people are here?" she asked nervously. "I'm gonna pass around a tally sheet. Mark one line for yourself, please." She pulled out an attendance sheet and wrote "Number of students present:" at the top. She floated it to the first row and by the time she was fully set up, it was about an eighth of the way through the crowd. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her sudden nerves. She'd felt this way when December began and she hadn't taught more than 20 students in a while.

She cleared her throat and looked at the list of spells that they were going to learn. The next one was a simple one, _Protego Dimo_ , and could be coupled with the Patronus spell to create a bubble around one or more people if the witch or wizard casting the spell willed it. All they had to do to expand it was spread their arms out as though opening a pair of doors in a cool, "I own the place, bitches" manner. She decided to write it on the board by hand this time, granting the attendance sheet more time to be passed around. She wrote "Patronus Barrier Spell" at the top of the board in large letters, and the incantation below it in slightly smaller letters. She hoped the people at the back could see her writing. She cast a spell and created a podium similar to the one Professor Dumbledore gave his speeches at, just less ornate. She used another and made it so that whoever stood at the podium would be able to speak in a normal voice, but still be heard, even from over a kilometer away.

She stepped up to the podium and cleared her throat again. "Uh, hi," she coughed awkwardly. "Hello, fellow Hogwarts students. Welcome, newcomers, and welcome back Frontier members. I hope you all had a good Christmas. The spell we'll be learning today is _Protego Dimo_ and is used to create a barrier between you and Dementors when coupled with a Patronus spell. For those joining us, feel free to stick around after class or ask your fellow housemates for assistance. We have a few rules here, namely, don't sit next to someone you're all buddy-buddy with; it creates distractions for those around you. Sit next to someone you've never met before." Quills were moving and scratching as Ravenclaws and other students were taking studious notes. They stopped and looked at her. "Hands up, before we go any further, if you can't see or read what's on the board." From about halfway back a sea of hands shot into the air. She cast a spell, duplicating the chalkboard and sending it to the middle. "Put your hand down if you can now see the board." All the hands went down. "Alright, that's much better." She continued the lesson. She didn't stop talking until Harry raised his hand. "Yes?"

"I think we get the picture. Can we move on to the practical please?" he said.

"Oh, uh, okay. Everyone partner up, and if you don't have a partner, join a group and make a group of three. You may partner up with someone in your house if you'd be more comfortable practicing that way," she said. They all split off into groups, the desks clearing away and white rectangles appearing on the floor. "Now, those of you who know how to cast a Patronus, do so now." She and the other Frontier members did so. A few others who weren't part of the Frontier prior to Christmas break also cast their Patronus. "Now, get your Patronus to come at you, and hit it with the spell _Protego Dimo_!" A bubble about a foot taller than she was popped into existence around her, illuminating her in a transparent silvery light. Through the shimmering veil she was able to see others sporadically able to perform the same spell. "Excellent job. Don't be discouraged if you fail. It's a difficult spell to perform even under the best of circumstances. Let's try again." Some students who were getting help from their friends were able to cast their own Patronus and perform the spell on their own.

The door opened and Professor Dumbledore entered, followed by the House Heads. "Learning anything new?" he asked Paige. She nodded.

"Students," she said at the podium. "Professor Dumbledore is here along with Professor Flitwick, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, and last but certainly not least, Professor Sprout."

A smattering of "hello, Professors" went up before everyone returned to their spell practicing. She poked her shield with her wand, causing it to disintegrate. "I'm teaching them _Protego Dimo_ , which can be coupled with the Patronus spell to create a physical barrier that can be expanded at will," she explained.

"Interesting," Professor Dumbledore commented. Professor Snape's eyes light up with excitement. She could tell he wanted to try it out for himself, but was holding back due to not wanting to be judged. "Mind demonstrating?"

"Sure," she said. " _Expecto Patronum_." Her silver weasel erupted from her wand and ran around for a bit before she drew it back toward her. "Then hit it with _Protego Dimo_!" The spell hit the weasel and the little thing dissipated and reformed into a bubble surrounding her. She willed it to expand, enveloping the Head teachers and Professor Dumbledore. Professor Snape, despite his best efforts, was simply wonderstruck. She smiled. He really did enjoy Defence Against the Dark Arts. "And to get out of it or rid yourself of it as it can draw quite a bit of attention, just-" She once again poked it with her wand and it popped. The Headmaster and other teachers wandered through the room with her, helping out where they could. Professor McGonagall even did it herself, casting the Patronus of a cat before hitting it with the dome spell. The students around her ooh'd and ahh'd in admiration.


	35. Chapter 34

Ron, Harry, and Hermione all stayed after class to talk with Paige. After a few minutes of small talk, Paige brought something up that was on her mind. "So how do I play Wizard's Chess? I know how to play Muggle chess, heck, I usually win against Dudley, prompting a violent temper tantrum from him," she said, prompting a snort from Harry.

"Do you have a board?" Ron asked. She nodded and brought it out. She set it up and they sat down, Harry and Hermione flanking them on opposite sides. "Alright, so they're named from left to right. This-" He picked up the pawn to the right of the middle by hand, "-is pawn five, and he responds to that name as well."

"So can they be controlled by thought as well? Usually the only way I can beat Dudley is if neither of us talks," she said.

"I-I honestly don't know," Ron said. "Want to try it out?"

"Sure," she replied. The next ten minutes was spent focusing on the chess board. Pieces began to shift without words being spoken. She spotted something he had failed to see. "Check in three."

"What?" he asked, broken from his concentration.

"I can take your king in three moves," she said.

He looked at the pieces on the board. "How?"

"Like this." She pointed her wand at the board and ghostly lines appeared above the moves she had noticed and planned. "I'd need to sacrifice my right bishop, but then my left bishop could take the king."

He stared at the board quietly for a few moments before looking up at her in awe. "You have _got_ to teach me," he said at length. She laughed.

"Later. Right now, we have about five minutes before curfew and I'd rather not get my ear ragged off by Filch," she said. They nodded without arguing and helped her clear the board and put everything away. She stuffed the board in her bag and ushered the three out, Nunu following with a spring in her step.

When she and the others split off to go to their separate common rooms, she looked down at Nunu. She smiled at her cat, still young, but surprisingly tough for her age. Her familiar mewed in response to her look, hopping up without warning. She only grabbed her out of midair out of reflex.


	36. Chapter 35

And so life continued with the Frontier meeting almost every Thursday to learn, practice, and test themselves and each other on Defense Against the Dark Arts. Unbeknownst to everyone, Lockheart was planning something truly malicious and vile.

Early one morning, oh about a month or so before school ended, Paige woke up to someone shaking her urgently. Sleepily, she pushed them off.

"Fine!" snapped her bed-neighbor in a truly foul mood due to her tripping backwards and stinging her palms. "Read this when you wake up." A newspaper smacked her in the face and she groped for it, catching the bottom bit and opening one eye blearily.

 _Lockheart Escapes Azkaban!_ read the first title. She sat up in an instant, all sleep gone from her body, replaced by a prickling sensation that covered her in frightened goosebumps. She threw on some clothes then looked at the paper again, hoping it was just a dream. Lockheart was glaring hatefully at the person taking the picture. No. At _her_. His normally coiffed hair in disarray, eyebrows bushy and out of control. The most haunting and frightening thing was his eyes. Staring out with all the intelligence of a predator, his gaze cut through to her very soul, chilling her blood. It was as though she were looking into the eyes of a monster.

"How," she breathed. "How the _hell_ did he escape?!" She ran down to the Common Room and everyone there looked up to see her. Papers were strewn about, and several of her fellow classmates were giving her worried looks. "So...Guessing everyone's read the paper?" Nods. "Guess I've got a target on my back, then, eh?" She chuckled, but it was dry and humorless. Mirroring her anxiety, Draco, Nick, and Lisa Ascarpio, a third year student, stood as she descended the stair unsteadily. They all headed for the doors when they opened and Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore entered. "Good morning, Professors."

Professor Dumbledore nodded to the newspaper in her hands. "You've been informed then?" She nodded, not trusting her voice to sound even remotely respectful.  
Professor Snape spoke up, his voice oddly detached for the situation. She had expected more passion, but she guessed it was his way of coping and not losing his mind over the threat presented to one of his Slytherin students. "The Ministry has set a 24-hour Auror guard to patrol the hallways. They feel that Lockheart will stop at nothing until you or he are dead or irreparably damaged, even if it means harming others," he said. She nodded, again, remaining silent.

 _I thought he'd never get out,_ she wanted to say. _I thought you said he'd never come near me or anyone I care about. I was even starting to feel safe._ She kept her lips tightly clamped and flicked her gaze around a bit before returning them to the wizened wizards before her.

"At the end of the year, if he's not captured, you, Harry, and the Dursleys will either be given the same protection as here, or moved to a more secure location. Whichever is most beneficial," Professor Dumbledore said. Again, she nodded. He smiled kindly and gestured for her to follow. She did, _Tetio_ not far from her mind. They ran into Harry, roping him into joining them as they made their way up to Professor Dumbledore's office. They climbed the spiral staircase and she kept a tight grip on her wand, trying to keep her hands from trembling.

They sat down and Paige waited a minute before finding something to change the uncomfortable subject of Lockheart's escape. "Professor Dumbledore, I don't mean to sound rude, but weren't you put on suspension for the goings on here?" she asked.

He chuckled. "They felt that in spite of the circumstances going on here, I would be best suited to face Mr. Lockheart in wand combat unless you or someone else are engaged in said combat," he said.

"Basically, they said you're the best fit for a protector," she said, hoping to keep talking about it. She never liked talking about uncomfortable or dangerous topics, especially if they could be avoided. Unfortunately for her, she would need to address Lockheart's escape. After a few moments of silence, she sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "I guess there's no avoiding it any further, is there?"

"No avoiding what?" Harry asked.

"Ha-have you not read the papers this morning?" she asked.

"Er...I was kind of preoccupied with my own challenges. Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"Lockheart has escaped. He's actively hunting me now." Harry's face noticeably paled. "If he's not caught in a month's time, you, me, and the Dursleys will either be moved or have round-the-clock protection from the Aurors, which I assume are the wizarding equivalent of FBI agents."

"Of what?" Professor Dumbledore asked, curious.

"They're highly trained people who can defuse situations without the need of lethal force, though they will use it if necessary. They have offices everywhere, most notably in America, and they deal with high-profile cases, like if Harry were being hunted instead of me, there would be someone with him or near enough to him to keep him from as much harm as possible," she explained.

"Ah," Professor Dumbledore said. "Very close, but not quite."


	37. Chapter 36

As Paige walked along the middle of the hallway, tending a bit to the right, she spied movement out of the corner of her eye. Looking up she gasped in horror at the sight of Harry. He looked like he'd just been drug through some sort of hellish beast's torment. His glasses were just slightly askew, bent around his nose a little more than they should have been, his usually messy hair now seemed to have been struck by lightning, scratches and cuts marked his visible skin. Fawkes was the only thing that seemed perfectly calm. His beautiful feathers stood out on stark contrast to the grime that covered Harry from head to toe. Ron seemed a bit roughed up but not overly ruffled. Ginny was clinging to her brother, nearly catatonic from her ordeal.

"Yeah, I'll ask what happened later," she said as she approached them.

"It was a Basilisk. It's dead now," Harry said. Her already horrified expression grew in horror.

"You-The voice was-Well, I shouldn't be surprised, the signs were all there," she said. "C'mon. Where are you guys planning on going?"

"Professor Dumbledore's office. Fawkes is a bit weary and we should probably get him to his perch," Harry said. "Plus, Professor Dumbledore shoudl be informed that the attacks are over permanently."

"Alright. Let's go," she said, trying to force her breath she muttered, "This is gonna be as fun as a wake, I'm sure of it."

They walked in silence from the third floor until they reached the gargoyle defending the entrance to the Headmaster's office. Once there, Paige gave the password so an exhausted Harry wouldn't have to.

"By the way," she said as they climbed the stairs. Ron had some difficulty as Ginny was still clinging to him. "What the hell happened to you down there, Harry? Did you go mud wrestling with the damn thing?"

Harry laughed in spite of his ordeal. "Sure, we'll go with that," he replied.

Paige knocked on the door. "Enter," Professor Dumbledore said. Fawkes flew over her shoulder and landed on his perch, giving his master a friendly purr-like noise.

Arthur and Molly were there. "Ginny!" Molly cried running forward and encircling her now sobbing daughter in her arms. She also hugged Ron and squeezed Harry's shoulder before looking the pre-teen over with a disapproving look that clearly said that he needed a bath.

"Hello, Professor," Paige, Harry, and Ron greeted their Headmaster. Ginny was too overcome by emotion to speak. Eventually, her sobs gave way to quiet sniffles.

Finally Professor Dumbledore spoke. "Harry, perhaps you'd like to tell us what you know," he said looking kindly with sage-like patience at Harry, who had all but collapsed into a nearby chair.

So Harry began his tale of hearing the voice in the walls, discovering the truth about Myrtle and her bathroom. Entering the Chamber by use of Parseltongue, and the subsequent battle between him and the Basilisk. He concluded his tale by mentioning a diary and how he somehow instinctively knew to stab it with a tooth from the now-dead Basilisk. Paige was watching him mutely, her jaw slack from shock. She'd been so preoccupied with the Lockheart situation that she'd forgotten to find Harry to discuss what they were going to do.

Professor Dumbledore examined the diary with great interest. She'd seen Ginny with it a few times, but had believed it to be nothing but a journal for recording thoughts and feelings. He then held out his hand and Harry passed over the sword, which she'd only just noticed. She felt eyes looking at her and looked up at the Headmaster.

Everyone turned to look at her. It was then that she realized she might stick out, being the only green-robe-wearing person in the room.


	38. Chapter 37

Paige's first year ended without further incident. Molly and Arthur had asked her about her house and were polite and almost cordial. She had told them what her mother had always told her: Don't let other people's perception define who you are; let that be something only you can decide.

"So," Harry said, jarring her from her thoughts as he, Ron, Hermione, and Neville (who everyone agreed had improved in spell casting just enough to be noticeable) settled in around her. Neville was in another compartment, but he was sitting with them for a while. "What is the Ministry going to do about the whole Lockheart situation." By now everyone in Hogwarts and several people in the wizarding world knew about his escape.

"Well, since they believe he's going to kill or harm anyone who comes between him and I, they've alerted the Muggle Prime Minister of the danger," she said absentmindedly staring out the window. "Other than that, Sketch said that he applied for a job at the Ministry and they gave him his own team, which surprised me. They want you and the Dursleys to have as normal lives as possible, so unless Lockheart is spotted in the area of Privet Drive or our town, they've put up a round-the-clock guard, though they've lifted their stinginess a bit for both of us due to the circumstances. If Lockheart is spotted nearby, we'll be moving to my mother's property, about an hour away by train, then another half-hour by car." She trailed off.

Hermione, being the ever-observant witch that she was, noticed a letter sticking out of Paige's slightly undone robes. "What's that letter say?" she asked, her eyebrows coming together slightly in concern.

"Huh, oh this?" She pulled it out. The Ministry seal was broken and the crest was emblazoned on the front. "It just says that if I'd like I can work for the Ministry since Sketch and a few others who are also in the team want me as their supervisor, in spite of the fact that I'm underage." She laid it on the table and Hermiopne snatched it up, reading it eagerly aloud.

* * *

 _Dear Agatha,_

 _We'd like to extend this most unusual request if you should choose to accept it. We've set up a team who will specialize in many things. The Aurors will handle the basic investigations, but this team will do full investigations, even reviewing old cases. This team is known as the Department of Independent Imperative Investigations._

 _Should you choose to accept, you will be paid a salary of one hundred twenty galleons per week. If you would prefer, you may decide to split that with the Muggle family with which you reside. As such, we will set it up with some tellers who are aware of our existence, and the way Gringotts works._

 _Since you are underage, we cannot officially make you a Ministry official, however, though you will have a badge marking you as a Ministry employee, and you may return to your studies whenever you so choose._

 _Concerning the Gilderoy Lockheart situation: until further notice, or until he has been killed, captured, or neutralized, you and Harry may use magic lightly, not much more than spells for quieting, lighting, or lifting, unless you are engaged in combat with Lockheart or any other threat._

 _I look forward to your reply._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Cornelius Fudge_  
 _Minster of Magic_  
 _Great Britain_

* * *

"Oh Paige that's brilliant!" Hermione cried handing the letter back. "When will your response have to go in?"

"I already sent it," she said in a quiet voice.

Harry put a hand on her shoulder. "What did you say?"

"I said I already sent it in," she said louder.

"No, I mean, what was your response?"

"I-" She sighed then looked at him, fully expecting to see a hurt look cross his face. "I accepted the position. I'll be splitting my income with the Dursleys, which I'm sure they'll be thrilled about." His face betrayed no sign of disappointment or any other emotion other than excitement. Ron had a similar expression. Neville seemed to be the only one who wasn't enthusiastic about her new position.

"How do _you_ feel about it, Paige?" he asked her.

"I'm sure she's ecstatic, Neville! This is a wonderful opportunity for her, and just wait until Harry's family finds out. I'm sure they'll be thrilled," Hermione gushed for her.

Harry and Paige both snorted. "Thrilled, yeah. They've been punishing Harry for using magic when he couldn't control it. I've been scared of being found out as _having_ magic. They detest magic, Hermione. They see it as something beneath them, something icky, or something like that," she said. "Truth be told, I'm worried about how they're going to react. They might kick me out of the house for doing more than just help Todd out in the junkyard. Aside from Ron's family and everyone at Hogwarts, I've only ever showed Todd my shape-shifting ability. He photographed and recorded all of my different forms. I was scared out of my mind to show him. I sneezed and became a kitten before sneezing round the bend as my fennec fox form."

"Wow," was the general consensus. They all turned toward each other and discussed their year, practiced spells, and generally entertained themselves during the ride home. Paige sat staring out the window, hand on the bag containing her _Encyclopedia of Mythical and Magical Forces and Entities_.


	39. Chapter 38

"So," Vernon said when they got home and settled back in, "let me get this straight. You expect _me_ to let you _both_ come into my home with that filth you call magic? And allow you to live there and practice it? All because you aggravated a teacher at that blasted school of yours?"

"Less aggravated more called out on his incompetence," Paige said. "But yes. And I think I can sweeten the deal by-"

"Deal? I never made any deal with your family," he said.

"Then I guess I'll take my summer job and get out of here then. Oh, and if I leave, expect a visit from Child Protective Services," she said, heading for the stairs. _They'll certainly have something to say about Dudley, and the random bed under the stairs,_ she thought to herself.

"What are you talking about?" he said suspiciously. "What type of establishment would hire someone as young, inexperienced, and unskilled as you?"

"Try the wizarding government. They're paying me a hundred twenty galleons per week, which I'd split with you. A galleon is roughly seven pounds, so that would total about four hundred twenty pounds total. And that's not including my bonuses, which, by the way, I will be keeping for myself." She turned and continued, shooting a quick look at Harry, who looked absolutely flabbergasted. She began climbing the stairs as Vernon stewed.

"What are you doing?!" Harry hissed.

"3...2...1," she whispered back. She pointed to the side just as Vernon called up to her.

"Perhaps we can make an arrangement and overlook the whole wizards and witches thing," he said. She gave Harry a winning, sly, smug smile and winked before turning back toward the stairs as Vernon climbed them.

"Excellent," she said. "Here's the letter I received offering me the position. You'll notice that Harry and I are allowed to practice some magic, even outside of school due to my job." She handed him the letter and they all gathered in the sitting room.

"So you're both allowed to use magic?" Dudley said, unconsciously grabbing the sides of his massive rump.

"Don't worry. It's nothing serious. Unless of course we're engaged in combat with any threat," she reassured him. "I've learned a lot during my first year at Hogwarts, including how to set up a magical perimeter that will alert me and anyone in the house of an imposing threat. It'll turn any lights that are on a vibrant, rich blue. If no lights are on, it will create a bright sky blue light in the rooms where people are. It's light magic so it falls into the 'allowed' category." Petunia's eyes glowed with something akin to envy.

"So what exactly is going on with this crazed lunatic who wants you dead?" Vernon said after a moment of reading.

"Basically he saw himself as being the best there was. I called him out on it, got in trouble, called him out on it, got in trouble, and started a club to learn the stuff he was supposed to be teaching us. I wouldn't have been able to do as much as I did were it not for the other professors who were getting rather weary of Lockheart's unbearable personality. They helped me with the marking, really."

"Marking?" Petunia repeated.

"Yeah. They decided to call it a class and I was vastly outnumbered so I just went along with it and gave monthly tests. It made reviewing for exams much easier. And, anything I taught them they shared with their fellow housemates."

"Housemates?"

"Yeah. There's four houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Slytherin are sly, cunning, and can be manipulative. Gryffindor are brave, wise, and can figure things out quite quickly. Ravenclaw is the house for those who are very studious, like to get good grades, and spend a good chunk of the time reading. Hufflepuffs are good at finding things. They're smart, loyal, and determined. Just by those descriptions, guess which Houses Harry and I were put in."

"I'm guessing you were put in Ravenclaw, and Harry in Slytherin," Dudley said. She smiled and shook her head.

"I'm a Slytherin, Harry's a Gryffindor. Both Houses are currently locked in a battle for the house cup, which is a high honor. Eight years in a row Slytherin has won it until, from what I heard, last year when Harry and his friends won Gryffindor the House Cup at the last second."  
Petunia was quietly digesting this information, Vernon was struggling to suppress a scolding session, and Dudley was kind of staring at Harry and Paige with a mix of fear and awe.

"Well, Harry and I have some homework to do over the summer and I also need to set up that perimeter," Paige said. She ushered Harry out, pulled out her wand and exited the house, pulling out a scroll of spells. They were very minor and it was nearly dark enough for the street lights to be useful when she reached the property lines. She cast the first spell along the driveway side of the property, tracing a pattern Professor Flitwick had showed her during an extra credit session. It was an ancient rune for watching. She walked to the right section and cast the spell there too, using another rune. There were four in total. The only one that would be toeing the line of passable and not cool was one that she was planning on discussing with the Dursleys the next day.

This spell was one that would connect their house with Todd's house. If Lockheart arrived and they needed to escape quickly, there was a full length mirror in the hallway upstairs that went from floor to roughly the height of a doorway. She'd practiced it with Professor Dumbledore's permission in his office, connecting two mirrors that were in the room. She was comfortable with it to the point where the Headmaster paid her a compliment on how swiftly she was able to accomplish it. She'd written to Todd and gotten his blessing to connect the houses in case of emergency. She finished the final spell and rune, then headed back inside.

There was movement across the street and an Auror she recognized from Hogwarts popped out of the bushes beside her, watching carefully. He jerked his head toward the doorway and she obeyed the unspoken command. It was just Mrs. Figgs letting her cat out for a bit.


	40. Chapter 39

"So I have a request," Paige said half an hour later after dong a bit of homework. They all looked at her a bit wary.

"What is it?" sighed Vernon.

"I'd like to connect this house with one a couple of blocks away in case Lockheart arrives and we have to escape at a moments notice. I've already spoken to Todd, who is aware of the magical world, and he's given his permission to use the floor-length mirror in his house to act as the second door at the end of a tunnel. Harry would need to use his wand to activate it, but once it's activated and four people pass through, it will close automatically and be sealed," she said.

"This doesn't sound like it would fall under the 'light magic' section, does it?" Harry said, disappointment in his voice.

"I'm gonna need to send a letter with Hedwig asking permission, but it's mostly just toeing the line," she said. "I think they'd be fine, but I'd recommend not getting your hopes up too high."

Not long after sending Hedwig off, she returned with a letter fastened firmly in her beak.

* * *

 _Dear Agatha,_

 _Do what you feel you must to keep yourself and those you're staying with safe. This spell you're speaking of, it sound like the Tunnel Digging spell,_

 _Ciniculumus. Yes, you have permission to use it, and make sure Harry knows how to activate it._

 _-Cornelius Fudge_

* * *

She grinned and pulled out her wand. "I've been granted permission by the MInistry. Do I have your permission to connect your house with Todd's through the use of magic?"

"Yes, yes, fine," Vernon said with a tired sigh. "As long as it doesn't cause us any ill effects."

"It won't," she said. She went to the end of the hall to perform her spell before going to bed.

* * *

The next day at around half-six in the morning, Paige woke with a jolt when Petunia knocked on the door. She turned into her human form quickly out of pure instinct and sat up groggily.

"Time to get up. I'm not sure what time you have work," she said, quietly.

"Oh, right!" Paige replied in the same hushed tone so as to not wake Harry.

"I'll prepare a quick breakfast for you. Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please. Thank you. I'll be down in a minute. I'm going to grab a shower and get dressed in Mu-er regular clothes." She paused a moment, hoping that whoever picked her up wouldn't stick out too much. The Aurors she'd seen were wearing odd clothes, but nothing that screamed "I'M A WIZARD! I USE MAGIC!"

She grabbed a fall dress that didn't look too bad on her color-wise, but that hung off her like a tent as it was one of Petunia's that had shrunk in the wash. She got down some cute flats that she'd fallen in love with the year before and that Todd had bought her as payment one day. She'd almost had them confiscated and sold because they didn't contribute to the household. Nipping off to the tiny bathroom that she and Harry shared, she set her stuff down on the toilet, jumped in the shower, washed her hair, underarms, and other areas before stepping out and drying off. She dressed quickly and quietly and Petunia helped her style her hair into curls that bounce on her shoulders with her bangs braided around and held with a clip to the right of her face, looking a little like a crown.

"If it's allowed, a bit of magic to help that dress fit better wouldn't hurt," Petunia commented under her breath. Paige tilted her head.

"I'll look into it." She got out a list of definitely allowed spells and found one that had "For quick fittings" written in brackets beside it. She was just getting her wand out and preparing to cast the spell when she heard Harry say the spell and a moment later the dress started to fit snugly around her, making the simple yet also quite professional looking Muggle dress that had formerly hung loosely around her to fit her almost perfectly. She went down the stairs, Nunu following closely behind after Harry went back to bed and found Petunia preparing a simple breakfast of one egg and one slice of buttered toast. There was weak tea sitting in the pot that smelled quite nice and helped opened her sleep-addled mind further.

A knock sounded at the door shortly after quarter past seven. She pulled out her wand and glanced at the light before relaxing and going to answer the door. The chilly morning air greeted her as did a grinning Sketch.

"Hey there," he said.

"H-hi. How do you know where I live?" she asked.

"Ministry employee, remember?"

"Right, right, right. Morning brain, know what I mean?"

"Er...Kinda? I don't usually forget something this ground-breaking. Not once in the history of the Ministry, even when it was just the Council, has an underaged witch or wizard been employed as a Ministry official." He had his arm flung out to the sides excitedly. It was then that she realized he was wearing robes that stuck out like a sore thumb in the otherwise ordinary neighborhood of Privet Drive. She grabbed the front of his robes and dragged him inside.

"Couldn't you have dressed a bit more, y'know, inconspicuously? This neighborhood frowns on anything out of the ordinary," she hissed. She called out to Petunia quietly, "Er, we have a guest."

"Would he like some breakfast too?" came the subdued reply.

"No, thank you, I've had breakfast already," Sketch replied. He walked into the kitchen after taking his shoes off. "My name is Scott Jenson, but people mostly just call me Sketch."

"Petunia Dursley, a pleasure to meet you," she said quietly.

"Anyways, thank you for breakfast, Petunia. Scott, we'd best be going," Paige said, suddenly anxious to get to work. Sketch grinned and bid Petunia a good day, slipped his shoes on, and they left. He held out an arm and she, not knowing what else to do, grabbed his arm and they Apparated away. "That's not gonna get us into trouble, is it?"

"Apparating? No," Scott said. "I got permission to do that when I started work yesterday. They asked me specifically to come get you because I was the only one to remember where you and Harry live." She was only half listening as she stared in awe around the lobby where they ended up. Columns stood proudly supporting a domed roof. They signed in and he lead her to a lift which brought them to the floor that announced the Auror office as well as the new Department of Independent Imperative Investigations. They got off there and entered a side room where five others were waiting for her. They greeted her warmly and slapped Scott on the back.

"Wow," she breathed looking around the room. Nunu hopped up next to an aquarium where a few ordinary-looking fish swam happily about. There was a circular table in the center of the room and six small cubicles with desks in them. Another door opened to an office that reminded her instantly of Professor Dumbledore's study. Books of varying sizes and shapes lined the walls except for two window-like areas that showed a lovely day outside. Her brow furrowed in confusion for a moment's pause. _Magical Maintenance, maybe?_ she thought to herself. "I could get used to this." She turned back to the main room. "Alright, team." They turned and looked at her, already preparing for a hard day's work. "We're going to give each case our all. If we feel that there hasn't been enough investigating done on a particular case, we'll reopen it and do a full investigation. Any questions?"

"Yeah, who's kid are you and why are you pretending to work here?" a gruff Auror said making his way into the room. "This is the team lead by-"

"Agatha Paige Black, a pleasure to meet you," she said sticking out her hand to shake.

He raised a skeptical eyebrow but everyone else nodded. "She really is our supervisor," said Lisa. "She taught us a fair bit in her first year at Hogwarts."

"How...old are you...exactly?" he said haltingly.

"I'm eleven, but will be twelve before the end of summer," she replied. "And you are?"

"Alan Crenshaw," replied Alan. He grasped her hand and hesitantly shook it. Not wanting to further make a fool of himself, he ducked out of the room. There was a smattering of laughter as some of the others had children who she had taught and had been filled in on what a wonderful leader she was, and how she had started out barely able to string a sentence together and slowly bloomed into a confident instructor. Yes, even if she never met her father, she would make him proud, because by God, he was the only family she had left and she was going to ensure he knew that she was going to make it, bringing as many people with her as possible.


	41. Chapter 40

As the second week of Paige's career in the Ministry began, Scott threw open her door in a towering fury. He slammed an open hand down on her desk, causing her to jump back from it. She had her wand out in an instant by pure instinct until she realized he was holding a file folder in his wand hand. He was holding it out to her, anger blazing in his lovely hazel eyes.

"What's this?" she asked taking it from him. "Also, sit down."

"That's your father's case. Open it and see what has us all so angered," he said curtly. "Sorry for causing a disruption."

"Forgiven," she said. She set the folder down on some form she was filling out. The top form that was inside was sparsely filled out with a picture of a man who she vaguely recognized. He'd been through hell, his hair looking as though he hadn't bathed in weeks, a beard that had clearly been once well groomed and maintained now six inches long and nearly obscuring his face. His eyes, so deep and expressive, said (or rather screamed) _Someone help me! I did nothing wrong!_ She picked up the form, expecting to find more forms or a longer explanation. She browsed the form for the little information it had.

* * *

 _Name: Sirius Black III  
Age: 22  
Gender: Male  
Crime: Betrayal/Murder  
Reason of Guilt: One of his victims, Peter Pettigrew, announced to a crowded street that Black had betrayed the late James and Lily Potter. Black was known to be their Secret Keeper.  
Sentencing: August 2, 1981  
Sentence: Life in Azkaban._

* * *

"Was this all there was pertaining to this case?" she asked Scott. At his nod, her own outrage flared. She took a long gulp of scalding tea, forcing her anger back. "We need to have a meeting with both Fudge and the team. I'll get him here, just keep a civil tone." He nodded, shaking his head slightly as he rose and left. She grabbed a fist full of powder and threw it into the fireplace in her office. "Cornelius. Please, meet me in my Department, at once. It's quite urgent regarding an old case."

"Er...Sure, what's it about?" he said nervously.

"I'll tell you when you get here. It's something I'm setting my team on at once as I feel a great injustice has been done," she said as politely as she could.

"Okay..." he said slowly. "Be there in ten."

"Great, see you then." She walked out into the department. "Alright. So I'm presuming everyone's seen the case involving my father, Sirius Black." Nods, a few growls and exasperated sighs. "Great. Scott." He looked at her, dropping his angry scowl he was directing at the floor and door to the Auror's office. "I'm too emotionally invested in this case. I'm not going to be involved in this case at all. You're my second in command, so you're taking over until this case is completely investigated and my father given a proper hearing and trial, understood?"

"What? Why aren't you taking the lead?" he asked.

"In the Muggle world if a case involves a detective or investigator, they are taken off the case to prevent evidence contamination or incriminating evidence 'mysteriously' disappearing," she said. "Make sense to everyone?"

"Yeah, I guess so," he said.

"Sure. It sounds like a good, sound idea," said Ellie, a Muggleborn who graduated the year before Scott.

A knock sounded at the door. She opened it and Cornelius froze when all eyes, still containing the fires of anger, turned to him.

"Cornelius. Please come into my office," Paige said. "Team, Scott's taking command until this case is dealt with." There were nods and as the door closed behind Fudge, people were already busy compiling notes and heading out on investigations. "So, you're probably wondering why I've asked you to come here." She slid the closed file over to him. "It has everything to do with this. Please open it and read it through. Let me know if you think this was a thorough investigation. Then I'll explain what I and my team believe to be wrong with it."

He opened the file and read the form. He set it down after reading it and clasped his hands together. "I see nothing wrong with this investigation. Sirius was their Secret Keeper, they wound up dead, the only way that could have happened is if he spilled the beans to someone about their location and it got back to He Who Must Not Be Named," he said. She smiled and leaned forward.

"Alright, now I'll tell you what's wrong with the investigation. In the Muggle world, even if they have thirty witnesses to a crime, even if it's caught on camera, they still perform a full investigation. They go back and find the motivation, they find out whether there was any feud between the victim or victims and the assailant. They document every step. They conduct interviews. They cover everything. And then, they analyze everything. There are only four reasons Muggle criminals don't go to court:

1\. The case against them is too circumstantial: the case relies too much on this person being in the area around the time of the crime, an old fight that might not have settled down, etc.  
2\. The suspect is dead: pretty self-explanatory. Can't convict a dead guy.  
3\. The suspect is deemed mentally unfit to stand trial. Even if they were completely sane when they committed the crime, if they are diagnosed with a mental break of any sort, they can't go to trial.  
and finally 4. The suspect is physically unable to be there: If they're lying in a comatose state, for example, or on the run.

"So you tell me: was this investigation adequate? Because I'm telling you, it's not," she said. She'd spoken in a quiet, voice the entire time, fire coloring her tone throughout.

Fudge was silent for a while. "Very well," he said at length. "I can see where you're coming from, but things are different here. Our judicial system is a magical one, not one based off science and technology."

"True, but consider this: their technology can place someone at a scene by looking at a drop of their spit or blood. It's called DNA, or Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid. It's unique to everyone, even twins can have different DNA. It can be as unique as a fingerprint. It's never a one-hundred percent match, but if someone tells you that with a ninety-nine percent assurance that I drank your tea, for example, because my spit was left on the mug, then I almost certainly did," she said. "We rely too heavily on witnesses, who can be easily swayed by spells such as the Confounding spell and the Imperius Curse. Muggles rely on science. It's not fool-proof. It messes up sometimes. But it is effective and far more reliable than our judicial system. The spell my team will be using is _Prae Incantatem_. It's a memory spell which allows you to view the most traumatic incident in any given place or from any given item. I'd continue, but I'm sure you're a busy man. I have nothing else to do today, so I'm going home. Have a great day, Minister." She patted his shoulder, closed her filing cabinet, locked it, slipped the keys into the pocket of her robes, which had finally come in, and exited, leaving a completely stunned Cornelius staring after her.


	42. Chapter 41

That night when she returned from work, she felt compelled to recheck the spell connecting the mirror passage to Todd's. She didn't open it, but waved her wand over it while willing the spell to temporarily appear. As she passed back down the hallway from checking her spellwork, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye and peeked into Petunia and Vernon's room. She was packing two suitcases. She looked up and locked eyes with Paige.

"You feel it, too?" Paige asked.

Petunia nodded. "Ever since I found out that you and Harry were allowed to use magic outside of school because of this lunatic hunting you, I've been planning to flee at a moments notice. If he shows up here, we won't have time to pack anything. We'll just have to run, won't we?"

"Yeah. If need be I'll engage him in wand combat to buy you guys some time," she said. Petunia opened her mouth and turned abruptly but stopped when Paige raised a hand. "It's my fault he's even a threat. If I'd just kept my head down and not done anything he would still be free and wouldn't be a danger to anyone but himself."

"You know full well that your mother wouldn't have wanted her daughter to stay quiet when incompetence was about," Petunia snapped. "He should have done his job so you didn't have to."

"I know, but I'm still responsible that he's even angered or a threat to everyone," Paige said. The shifting light from the spell that surrounded the mirror began to fade. "The mirror door is still in tact. Harry knows how to use it. Just...Be ready to get Dudley up and through the mirror in less than ten seconds. From there it's a straight shot to Todd's. Harry will bring up the rear. Push the back of the mirror on the other side and it'll open. I cast a spell at Todd's place that will wake him up if the perimeter spell is activated so he'll know to expect visitors." Petunia's eyes once again filled with envious light. She pursed her lips and nodded. "Good. I'll get Harry to pack too. Our bags will be much lighter as they're enchanted with the 'Infinite Storage' spell. I'm not going to cast it on your luggage before you ask. It's forbidden and I'd rather not have my ear ragged off."

Petunia nodded again then turned back to packing. Paige made her way into the bedroom she shared with Harry. He was sitting on the bed nearest the window and staring out. He turned as she entered and got out his school trunk. She wordlessly held out a large canvas sack which had a strap that he could sling across his shoulders if need be. "DIII" was burned into the fabric of the sack. "Now yours," he said holding it open and helping her wrestle her own trunk into submission as it set down on the faux floor in the bag.

"Guess now it's just a waiting game," she said quietly. Her eyes were drawn automatically to the bed beside the window. He stood and drew the flimsy curtains so she could nap. Her mind went blank almost as soon as she closed her eyes.

* * *

It was her stomach that woke her up. It growled at her for not consuming any supper. She rose silently and was halfway down the stairs when the hall light began to glow with a vibrant blue color. Her eyes widened and her heart was in her throat. She pounded up the stairs, casting a quick spell to quiet her steps as she raced through the house. She woke Harry first.

"I think-" she said but his pale look as the light registered to him told her that he knew exactly what she thought. They darted to the window and peeked out. A dark silhouette stood outlined by the harsh orange streetlight. She put on the Glasses of Truth and the caption at the bottom read _Gilderoy Lockheart_. She felt weak at the knees instantly and sank to the floor. Harry knelt down beside her. "Go wake Petunia and Vernon. Get them and Dudley out. I'll hold Lockheart off."

"But-!" Her hand covered his mouth in an instant.

"Just go!" she hissed. He nodded, a frightened look on his now white face. He scratched something down on parchment, took Hedwig out of her cage, tied the parchment to her leg, and threw her out the kitchen window. She flew off into the night as urgently as possible. Then he tore up the stairs, grabbing the canvas sack containing their belongings as he went. She could vaguely hear murmuring from upstairs followed not long afterward by Dudley whining about being woken up when it wasn't even light out.

Petunia and Vernon appeared at the top of the stairs. "What are you doing? Get up here now!" Vernon snapped.

"I can't. He'll bust down the door and chase us. If I can get him to chase me, I can buy you guys the time you need to escape," she said. "Harry's parents could have easily grabbed him and Apparated out of Godric's Hollow, but they chose to stay and fight, trying to protect him. I got us into this situation. I'm going to do my plum best to get you out." Petunia's face noticeably paled in the dim light. She nodded once, a quick, jerky move. Vernon sighed and lumbered off. She heard the tinkling of bells as the spell activated and the mirror dissolved. She put her shoes on and stepped outside, thankful for the warm pajamas as the cool night. She crept around the side of the house and through some bushes. She cast a quick neighborhood-wide spell that most assuredly would land her in a whole heap of trouble if she survived this encounter. She sent a quick prayer to whoever the hell was listening and stepped out into the street. "Lockheart!" He whipped around and spied her standing in the street, illuminated on one side by a tacky streetlamp. "You want me? Come get me." She turned into a fox after dropping her wand behind her, picked it up in her mouth and darted off. Spells hit the pavement as she ran, zigzagging to avoid being hit by the green explosions. She ran until she hit the end of the street and vaulted a low fence. How the hell she made it, she didn't know, but the next thing she knew she was among the trees.

 _I should be far enough from Muggles to be able to comfortably engage in wand combat. I wish I'd had more practice!_ she thought as she gasped for air. She turned back into a human and pulled her wand out of her mouth, spitting out a wad of saliva as quietly as she could. _Here goes nothing._ She rolled into a standing position as she leapt into the path she had just run down. "Ragh!" Her wand was at the ready, protective and defensive spells swirling in her mind to the point that her wand was constantly alight.

She walked forward, whipping around at the slightest noise. Twice she almost blasted an owl because it hooted. Her hands were trembling, though whether from cold or fear she didn't know.

 _Where are you at, Lockheart?_ she thought. She wandered around, her wand always at the ready and glowing. She found herself in a clearing and far enough from the town that she could no longer hear civilization or see any light pollution. Above her billions of stars lit up the skies. A twig cracked, sending her whirling toward the sound. Lockheart entered her wandlight, his own crackling wickedly. _Shit, what's the Disarming Charm again?!_ she thought frantically. Her mind raced, a jumble of incoherent spells spinning so fast she was almost nauseous. She reacted by pure instinct when he cast the first spell at her.

" _Crucio!_ " he shouted.

" _Wiggentatum!_ " she yelped. It was one of the spells she'd taught the Frontier as the counter for both the Cruciatus Curse as well as the Imperius Curse. _Protego_ was the only one she could think of to prevent the Killing Curse. Their spells collided and sent sparks flying everywhere. Suddenly Aurors were everywhere, surrounding them. She didn't know what to do so she slid her wand into its sheath, turned into a fox, and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn't know where she was going, only that she did _not_ want to be there. She stumbled and ran face-first into the chainlink fence surrounding Todd's junkyard. He opened the gate for her and she tripped over her paws as she entered.


	43. Chapter 42

After arriving at Todd's, they all piled into Todd's old beater of a truck, which had a tiny backseat where Harry, Paige, and Dudley sat while Vernon and Petunia squished themselves in with Todd in the front seat. Harry and Paige both had to twist their hips to avoid extreme discomfort. When they got out at the train station, Todd wordlessly handed her a package with four tickets in it. Without thinking she reacted to the gratitude that swelled within her and hugged him.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He patted her head then turned her around gently before pushing her toward the midnight train. Trains were always passing by the station closest to her mother's property. "Remember, it's the seventh stop. If you get off too early, you'll be in the city. Too late and you'll leave the country." She nodded.

"Stop seven, got it." She boarded and handed their tickets to the conductor. He tore off the part required for travel and handed them back. "Guys, we get off at the seventh stop to go to my mother's place. The Ministry knows where that is, and it's easy to defend since it's in the ass end of rural nowhere."

Vernon and Petunia both scowled at her language before squeezing into the compartment with Dudley. Harry had to squish out since there was no room between the three people and one suitcase. Vernon and Petunia's suitcases were in another compartment which Harry and Paige took up as their travel compartment. They sat staring mutely out at the station as the train began to move. House-lined streets flashed past quickly as the train gained speed. Soon they were replaced by rugged countryside. A knock sounded on the door and Paige paid for a meal from the trolley. Harry stared longingly at the chocolate wafers and she bought a couple boxes for him. The bone-dry chicken was flavorless and hard to choke down.

"What happened out there?" Harry asked. She gagged and grabbed for the bottle of water that had come with the meal. He unscrewed the cap for her and she took a long drink, wetting her dreadfully dry throat.

"I lead Lockheart far from the town, far from Muggles. I dove into a small forest and he must have chased me into it because when I reached a clearing, he emerged from the shadows. I couldn't concentrate on any spell. I was panicking I-" He stopped her words by grabbing her wrist tightly, bringing her back to the present. "I couldn't concentrate on any spells. He cast the Cruciatus Curse on me and I countered with _Wiggentatum_ , the only one I could think of. After that, the Aurors and Ministry workers arrived and I couldn't think straight. I turned into a fox and ran. I didn't stop until I slammed into Todd's fence. That's all I remember."

He pressed her wrist once more then released her so she could enjoy the cheap meal. Harry passed her a chocolate wafer and they split the vanilla-coffee swirl cake that came with the meal she had paid for. It had peanut butter frosting and was delightful. It went a long way to calming her nerves. As they finished the meal, the train slowed down before stopping completely at a station. There was a small town there. "I think this is the second stop. Five left to go," Harry said. He absentmindedly scratched his forehead where his scar sat.

"You okay?"

"Hm?"

"You're scratching your scar again. Does it hurt?"

"No, just itchy."

She nodded and silence fell once again. Stop after stop whizzed by as their sleep-deprived brains tried to grasp what was going on. Finally she stood up. "This is us," she said. Harry looked around groggily. He'd dozed off briefly. Professor Dumbledore was waiting for them when they disembarked. "Hello, Professor. This is Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley Dursley."

He nodded in greeting. "Well met, though I wish it were under better circumstances. The Ministry has asked me to guide you to your new safepoint. They haven't informed me of what happened, perhaps after a good night's sleep we can discuss what happened," he said. She smothered a yawn behind a politely raised hand. He smiled gently. "Come. The van is waiting." He lead them to the empty parking lot where a van that advertised "Sweets for Your Sweetheart!" As they approached it, the candy advertisement changed into "Property of the Ministry of Magic circa 1970." They climbed in without a word and the vehicle pulled away from the station.

"So..." Dudley said, trying to make conversation, "what's with the, er...creative advertising?"

"Children are taught to not get into strange vans, especially ones that advertise sweets, so the Ministry figured it's a perfect disguise. It doesn't change unless it's in the presence of wizards or witches," Professor Dumbledore explained. Half an hour of awkwardness, interrupted occasionally by the Dursley's occasionally asking questions to break the uncomfortableness in the air, later, the van turned up a rough driveway to the top of a hill where a humble little cottage sat. Pleasant memories flooded back to Paige as she looked at it and the squat building next to it. The once vibrant blue paint on the walls had gone beautifully with the startlingly white trim. It looked as though it hadn't been lived in in years (which to be fair is to be expected). The only thing that even hinted at the presence of life inside was the little flat head that popped up into the window briefly. Professor Dumbledore waved his wand and their luggage settled on the doorstep.

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore," Paige said. "Would you like to come in?"

"No, thank you, Paige. I need to check in on the Ministry after I help you all get settled in and the property secured," he said. "This place is ten acres, correct?"

"Um, I don't know," she said. "Biddy might, though." As though summoned, the aging house-elf scurried through the front door and to her side. "How large is this property, Biddy?"

"Fifty acres, Mistress Black, straight down to the riverbank behind the hill," came the reply. "Shall Biddy bring the bags into the rooms?"

"Yes, thank you, Biddy. That would be appreciated," Paige said. With a snap of her fingers, Biddy lifted the heavy suitcases into the air and through the door. She climbed the stairs which could be seen through the open door and disappeared. Paige, Harry, and the Dursley's followed behind. "If memory serves, there's a small guest bedroom downstairs and three bedrooms upstairs. The master bedroom is upstairs to the..." She trailed off as she searched through her childhood memories. "...right, I believe. Two bedrooms across from it."

"So one bedroom for each child and one for the two adults," Harry concluded. She nodded. Dudley lumbered upstairs while Petunia slowly looked around.

"Two full bathrooms, two powder rooms. Powder room is just through the kitchen," Paige said. "Harry, you and I have to set up that perimeter."

"Right," Harry said pulling out his holly wood and phoenix feather core wand. She got her own wand out and the roll of parchment with the spells on it. She walked him through the pronunciations of each spell. Professor Dumbledore followed them and helped out as he chose. They were almost finished when Paige's voice gave out and Harry's wand arm dropped to his side as exhaustion swept over them both. Professor Dumbledore cast the final spell himself, tracing the rune into the center of the spell wall. Paige, Harry, and their Headmaster made their way tiredly to the cottage. Once there, they bid each other goodnight and went their separate ways. They each found the bedroom with their bag in it and collapsed onto the bed. Not long after, everyone in the house fell into an exhaustion-fueled slumber.


	44. Chapter 43

The next morning, Paige awoke to the smell of cooking food. After that, her ears perked up and it took a moment to remember where she was. Once she did, however, she scrambled to her feet, running around the corner, expecting to see her mother cooking breakfast. Her face fell when she saw Harry's back. He turned to her and gave her a tired smile. Their flight from Lockheart the night before had drained him.

Biddy spoke up from the stove where she was cooking some eggs and back bacon. "Good morning, Mistress Black. How many eggs would you like?" The house-elf was wearing a tattered rag around her waist and a bright smile.

"Uh, two is good for me. Scrambled," she said sinking into a nearby chair at the table. "That was a disappointment. Thought Mom was back." Biddy paused and looked over at them, giving a sympathetic smile. She set down the cooking utensils and hopped down off the counter. She walked over and took both of Paige's hands in hers, prompting their eyes to meet.

"Biddy knows that your mother wouldn't want you to be sad, Mistress Black. She would want you to be happy, well-cared for, and safe. You are safe now, and you are among people who care for you," Biddy said gently. Tears filled Paige's eyes and they embraced.

"Thank you, Biddy," she murmured. Biddy released her and returned to cooking. As they ate breakfast, Paige and Harry heard a tap at the window. Harry jumped up, his wand half-raised. An owl was rapping on the glass with a letter in its beak. He opened it and retrieved the letter, Biddy throwing part of a pigs tail to the owl, who hooted cheerfully and began tearing at the bony meat. The Ministry crest was emblazoned on the front and the address they were at was scribbled hastily onto the face. She opened it and skimmed it before looking up at Harry, who was almost lifting off the ground in anticipation. She opened her mouth and began to read.

* * *

 _Dear Paige,_

 _Lockheart has been captured. He attempted to Apparate away, but someone grabbed onto him and threw him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. He's being held in a holding cell at the Ministry until his trial. The Dementors have had to be restrained to keep them from giving him their kiss._

 _A Ministry official will be by your mother's property later to get a statement from both you and Harry. From what I understand, that spell you cast to keep as many Muggles from seeing Lockheart try to blast you with those spells as possible, is going over quite well. I don't think you'll get in much trouble for it._

 _-Scott Jenson_  
 _Department of Independent Imperative Investigations_  
 _Ministry of Magic_

 _P.S. - The team has made surprising progress in a day regarding your father's case, and we plan on having him out by the end of the week._

* * *

"So they've caught him?" Petunia asked, startling everyone from their thoughts. Biddy hurried to set a place. Harry and Paige nodded. "Then we'll be packed and ready to leave shortly."

"Harry and I have to stay here until the Ministry worker takes our statement, and I'd recommend you guys do too, but only give statements regarding this Lockheart thing," Paige said.

"Agreed," Cornelius said from the direction of the living room.

"Uh..." Harry, Paige, and Petunia exchanged confused and worried looks. They made their way into the living room and Petunia jumped back with a yelp. Fudge's head was floating in the flames. "How are you...? What are you...? What the hell?"

"L-like she said, what the hell?" Petunia repeated, her pale skin almost translucent.

"It's a very simple spell to perform. Bit like mirrors, actually," Fudge said, his head bobbing around like a cork on waves. At their confused looks, he sighed, sending soot everywhere. "Spells allow wizards and witches to communicate. Telebabbles allows Muggles to communicate."

"They're called 'telephones' or just 'phones,'" Paige said without thinking. "Sir."

"Whatever," he said dismissively. "Anyways, as was mentioned in the letter you will have received by now, a Ministry employee will be coming to take your statements, Paige, Harry. They should be arriving shortly."


	45. Chapter 44

After giving their statements to the Ministry workers, Paige and Harry were preparing to leave when the Dursleys gave the word.

"We've made a decision," Vernon announced.

"Alright, we're packed and ready to go when you need us to," Harry said.

"No, we're not leaving," Vernon said. "Petunia and I took Dudley on a walk to the crest of the hill. This is a good solid holiday spot. Only thing I'd suggest is a normal house as free of magic as possible."

"Um...Okay...?" Paige said exchanging looks with Harry. He looked as confused as she was. Could Vernon be having a breakdown? A knock sounded on the door. She heard Biddy answer it and let someone in. They looked up as Scott entered with a bright smile on his face. "Hey, Scott."

"Hello, Mr. Jenson," Petunia said politely.

"Hello, everyone. Just letting you guys know that we got Sirius a new trial," he said, a bright, cheerful grin across his lips. "His trial is set to take place in mid-July. I'm confident that the evidence and investigation will clear him for good."

Paige gasped. "Y-you mean, my dad's coming home?" she whispered. Though she hadn't met her father, she often imagined what it would have been like to have him in her life. She'd seen some pictures, but her mother had put them in the attic in a trunk to keep from crying every time she saw them. Not having her father around had been a real strain on her mother.

"We've convinced them to let him come home until his trial, yes," Scott said. "Cornelius is on his way over to inform him and the guards of the new development."

"Excellent!" Harry said. "So when should we expect him?"

"Around afternoon tea."

"Brilliant, Scott, thank you!" Paige threw her arms around him tightly, unable to contain her excitement. "Does everyone in the Ministry know?"

"Yes. They're printing it in the Daily Prophet too," he said patting her back before she released him. She looked at the clock sitting on the mantle. It was noon.

She whimpered. "This wait is going to be agonizingly slow," she whined.


	46. Chapter 45

"Bullshit," Sirius said looking up at Fudge. He'd arrived moments earlier with the declaration that Sirius' daughter's team of investigators had gathered enough evidence to grant him a new trial. "You expect me to believe that you guys hired an eleven-year-old to lead a team of highly-trained witches and wizards?"

"Well, as crazy as it sounds, it's true, Sirius. Now do you want to go home or not?" Fudge asked impatiently.

Sirius was taken aback. It was news too sweet to be true, surely. "I'd love to go home," he said, unable to keep a suspicious edge out of his words.

"Great. I'll let the guards know, an-" Fudge said.

"Kill that bitch, for me, eh, neighbor?" interrupted his across the hall neighbor.

"Take a piss, Lockheart. She's my kid," Sirius snarled.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, please, there's no need for this," Fudge said. "Sirius, come with me." They left the cell together. They ascended to the ground floor and signed out at the office. The worker there was stunned.

"Er...Minister, do I need to alert the Dementors? Is there a prison break in progress?" asked the worker tentatively.

"Huh? Oh, no. Sirius has been granted a new trial and will be returning home until his trial date. At that time, depending on the outcome of said trial, he'll be returning," Fudge said absentmindedly as he scratched out the forms. He slid them over slightly so Sirius could fill them out and sign them. With a flourish that was rusty from lack of use, he signed his name and Fudge signed off on it. "Let's be off then, Sirius."

"Let's," Sirius said with a grin. He took the Minister's arm and they Apparated. They arrived in a field with a pleasant view of the ocean and the storm brewing within it. Azkaban was but a speck in the distance. The tide was low and black speckles created a broken line. "Where to now, Minister?"

"We'll be going to your and Adrianna's place, of course. Paige, Harry, Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley had to evacuate there when Lockheart threatened them," Fudge said matter-of-factly.

"Whoa, whoa, wait," Sirius said, a pit forming in his stomach. "Why is my daughter living with them and not her mother?"

"We lost track of Adrianna about five years after your daughter was born, roughly around New Years that year," Fudge said.

 _M-maybe there's a logical explanation for this. May-maybe Adrie just had to go on a business-no, a visit to a friend in a dangerous part of the world and she didn't want Paige to be there,_ Sirius thought. He dry-swallowed past the lump that was beginning to knot in his throat. _She's not dead, surely. They'd have informed me, right?_ "Let's continue, then, shall we?" They Apparated and came out with a crack at a run-down looking cottage. A pair of excited small faced appeared in the window, one belonging to a tiny cat, the other to a boy who looked remarkably like James.


	47. Chapter 46

Biddy had a bath waiting when Sirius walked in the door. He waved a greeting to everyone then was ushered upstairs to bathe and made to be once again presentable. Paige looked at Harry with an anxious smile. She was both excited and nervous at the same time. It was like meeting someone from your past who you didn't remember. They marvel at "my how you've grown!" and you just kinda smile awkwardly and agree, not knowing what else to do or say. When he returned to the kitchen half an hour later, Harry, Paige, and the Dursleys were sitting around the heptagonal table for tea. There was another cup waiting for him along with a sugar bowl, milk, and cream within arms reach. Biddy immediately set about preparing for a delicious supper with hearty chowder, light, fluffy biscuits, and a lovely, raspberry creme anglaise torte. It would need to sit and she had been instructed to not let Dudley anywhere near it before dessert.

Sirius sank into a chair between Harry and Paige and waved awkwardly again in a general greeting. "Hi," he said. He didn't know what else to say, and was feeling a little shy. He had so many questions but didn't want to bring them up over tea for fear of seeming rude. "How is everyone?"

"Good," Harry said. He sipped his steaming mug. "So, Paige, when will you be returning to work?"

"An excellent question," Vernon said, speaking for the first time.

Paige stopped mid-sip and glanced around nervously at the group. She set her cup down and swallowed the scalding tea. "I'll need to ask about that, but not today," she said.

"So you work?" Sirius asked, thankful for some way to inquire as to whether Cornelius had been truthful.

"Yeah. I was about as stunned as anyone could be when I got that letter. I thought I was going to be reprimanded for not getting another teacher to fill in for Lockheart," she said. "I have to read the letter at least once a day to reaffirm that it _is_ real, and wasn't just a dream." She took another sip. "I'll do that after tea, actually."

As if on cue, an owl tapped on the window again, and Biddy opened the barricade. The feathery messenger flew by, dropping a letter off just beside Paige's mug before taking up roost on top of the pantry, where Hedwig sometimes settled when she was out of her cage. This, like many of the letters she received after finishing her first year, had the Ministry crest emblazoned on the front and was addressed in Fudge's neat handwriting. She hesitated to open it, remembering her mother's word of caution about how it was rude to open or partake in business over tea.

After a relatively uncomfortably quiet tea, Harry retreated to his room to work on some homework, while Paige went into the study at the very top of both flights of stairs. The house had two floors and an attic. Her office was in the attic. It had needed some cleaning and care, but was easily identifiable as an office, and worked quite well as one. Sirius joined her and sat in a chair while she read the letter.

* * *

 _Dear Agatha,_

 _Please take the next couple days off to reacquaint yourself with your father, then return to the Department of Independent Imperative Investigations promptly at half-eight._

 _While you may not be working on your father's case, there are still plenty of other cases to review. I certainly hope there isn't more than a few cases like your father's. It would cast a dark pallor over the Ministry, and cause people to doubt the integrity of our government._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Cornelius Fudge_  
 _Minster of Magic_  
 _Great Britain_

* * *

"So you're returning to work in a couple days?" Sirius said. She started and almost fell out of the chair. He'd moved quietly and had read the letter over her shoulder.

"Yeah," she said, exhaling sharply before her heart resumed its normal rhythm. "So...would you like to talk?"

"About what?" he asked returning to the chair he'd sat in before.

"Well, about everything. We don't know each other hardly at all," she said. "All I know about you is from what Mum told me, and that was likely an idealized version of the true you. Were you ever told anything about me?"

"All I know about you is that your mother was pregnant with you before my trial, if it could be called that, and at the trial she was markedly smaller," he said.

She was quiet before pointing her wand in his direction and bringing the chair he was sitting in closer to the desk. "Learned that while teaching the Frontier," she said proudly. He stared at her. "Well, Lockheart wasn't doing his job, and someone needed to do it. The other professors were already busy with their own classes, and forcing that on them would have been just sadistic." Sirius couldn't help it, he laughed. Not hard, but enough to brighten his mood. An odd, spherical object on Paige's desk began to glow a lovely yellow-white color briefly before returning to a dull metallic sheen. "So _that's_ what that thing does. One of the members of the Frontier gave it to me for Christmas. I thought it was just ornamental."

"Oh, it's a laughometer. It brightens when someone laughs or is in a generally good mood," Sirius explained. "I remember James, Harry's dad, talking about them. Oh, he and I got in trouble when we were your age. We got more detentions than I'd care to mention."

"What for?" asked she.

"Mostly disrupting class, pestering other students for our entertainment. Why?"

"I got at least one week of detention every time I sassed Lockheart for not teaching us anything pertaining to Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Oh, boy, what did he talk about?"

"Oh, just how he's the best thing ever, and how any creature who should be or is even remotely fascinating was basically the absolute worst of the worst."

"Oh, god, like what?"

"Werewolves, and pixies, which admittedly are a little obnoxious but not that bad when you know how to deal with them, and something else but I usually sassed and got out of there as fast as humanly possible."

"I get the impression that there's a story behind the pixies." Sirius leaned forward slightly, eyes dimly lit by the fires of curiosity.

"One moment." She stood and went to the door. Opening it she called for Harry who pounded up the stairs and plopped himself in a chair he dragged from the other side of the room. "We're gonna relay the pixie story to my dad. Figured you could provide some backup. I don't know how bad it was for your class that day."

"Pretty wretched. If it weren't for Hermione and the Immobulus spell, it would have been much worse. You?"

" _Tetio_."

"Ooh, so you had a few members of the Frontier in your class?"

"Hyup. So, what say you to relaying your class with the pixies?"

"Oh, if you insist," he said cheekily. "Basically, Lockheart came in a little flustered, probably from what happened the night previous with being showed up by you, Paige, which was brilliant, looking back at it. Anyways, he plopped the cage down on his desk and explained what he was going to be doing. Then, being the brilliant wizard he is, he unleashed them without telling us how to stop them...yeah...cue the chaos, and people being picked up and dropped, and thrown all over the place, and that only stopping because Hermione cast the immobilizing spell."

"Wow. Mine wasn't quite as bad. He came in, glared at me for a bit before fixing his face and unveiling the pixies. He unlocked the cage stating that they were the most obnoxious and annoying creatures, then unleashed them on us. He gets disarmed and crawls out. It was maybe a minute, minute and a half before Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape came to help. By that point all the pixies were back in their cage," she said.

"Snape?" Sirius asked. "Would that happen to be Severus Snape?"

"Maybe?" Harry said while Paige said, "Yes. I overheard one of the other teachers calling him Severus."

"Huh. I went to school with him. I have fond memories of attending school with him," he said.

"Oh?" He waved off their questioning looks.

"Story for another day." The clock above the door ticked over to five thirty. A knock on the door let them know someone was calling for their attention. Sirius got up and answered it. Biddy was standing there with a rag-apron.

"Supper is ready," she said simply before whipping downstairs to set the table. They all joined her and chatted happily over the wonderful meal. Afterward, they had tea and Paige retreated to her study to do her homework.


	48. Chapter 47

About an hour after dawn the next day, Paige woke to weak sunlight streaming in through the window. She rose and quietly dressed, shifting into a fox before nipping out the window that Harry had left open for Hedwig, who he had sent to take letters to Hermione and Ron the night before. Her tiny paws hit the ground with barely a sound. She looked up and saw a figure silhouetted in the early morning light sitting on a bench at the top of the hill. She stretched briefly before breaking into a trot to see who it was. It was Sirius, watching the sunrise and the mist curling off the snaking river below.

She yipped a greeting and attempted to follow it up with a graceful leap up onto the bench beside him, but only her front paws made it up, leaving her backs dangling before she pedaled wildly in a vain attempt at getting any form of purchase.

He reached out absently and pulled her into his arms. "Morning," he said without looking at her. "If you concentrate hard enough you can cast spells even in animal form."

He set her down beside him and she turned back into her human form, suppressing a shiver at the cool morning air. "Cool," she said. "How long have you been up here?"

"Dawn," he said quietly. She looked up at him and blinked in surprise, before the unexpected sight of tears on his face and in his eyes made sense. "I miss her."

"I do, too. She missed you a lot," Paige stated. He wiped his cheeks and looked at her, a pained look in his eyes. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him, hoping that would help bring him some form of comfort. His arms wound around her as the sun rose higher in the sky, slowly warming the not-quite-winter-but-gosh-it-feels-like-it awakening land. After a while, Biddy appeared near them, drawing their attention with a loud _crack_. Sirius scrubbed the tears from his face and eyes, leaving his cheeks and eyes both red as cherries.

"Forgive Biddy for bothering, but breakfast is ready," stated the house-elf with a deep bow.

"Thank you, Biddy, we'll be down shortly," Paige said. With another deep bow, the house-elf returned to their home. She looked up at her father, who took one last look at the stunning vista with the beautiful alders, aspens, birch, beeches, and ash trees, interspersed with wild cherry trees and dogwoods, then stood and turned to her.

"Ready to face the day?" he said, attempting to put on his usual cheeky grin, but instead pulling off a soft, still-sad-but-trying-to-be-happy smile.

She smiled back after a moment. "Yup," she said as she hopped to her feet.


	49. Chapter 48

After breakfast, Paige, Sirius, and Harry went into town, using an old, rickety, ramshackle, rusty pick-up which had patched tires that were just a little flat, and windows that were both down, allowing moss to grow on the seats. Surprisingly, in spite of its poor visual condition, it started immediately when the key was turned, purring after giving a hearty and healthy sneeze. Sirius drove, occasionally jerking the wheel or almost bringing the poor old vehicle to a full-on stall.

"I swear I'm a better driver than this," he said meekly when the truck backfired, making everyone's heart stop briefly before racing to make up for lost time. They parked and headed into an ice cream parlor, Paige having to convince the shopkeeper that they were indeed paying customers. She had with her a large coin bank full of Muggle coins she had amassed over her five years of living with her mother, and occasionally sneaking a five-pound note past the Dursleys.

"Okay, your total comes to ten pound fifty," said the cashier, passing over the treats. Paige dug around in her pockets and bank before depositing two grubby five pound notes that had slight tears, and were crumpled almost to the point of blasphemy, and a large pile of coins.

"I think that's enough," she said. "If not, let me know." The cashier smiled kindly and began counting the coins.

"It seems you added a washing token for Granny's Dry-Cleaners," she said, sliding a galleon over. Paige quickly scooped it into her pocket.

"Haha, oops. S-silly me," she said. "Those coins are quite similar."

"Very true," agreed the worker. She finished counting the coins then slid the remainder back. "You had about twelve pounds even with all the coins." She flashed them another smile as they left, happily consuming their sweets. "Have a great day!"

"Thanks, you too!" Paige tossed over her shoulder just before the door closed behind them. As they wandered around town, a small, quaint shop caught their eye.

Approaching it, still with a bit of caution brought about by being unsure of their surroundings, they saw an elegant gown with lovely green and turquoise designs with gold and silver accents. Harry was at the other window staring longingly at a fleece jacket that was red with gold accents. They finished their treats and entered the store. Her older-brother-figure and her father both gravitated toward the red and gold jacket while she found herself drawn to the other racks, occasionally pulling out a garment to look and feel the material before putting it back. She didn't notice Sirius behind her until he spoke.

"Looking for this?" he asked. She jumped and looked at him. He was holding out a pretty blue jacket with brass accents.

"No, I'm looking for a green one," she said. She glanced around before dropping her voice slightly to ensure they weren't overheard by any other customers or employees. "I was sorted into Slytherin. It was that or be in a House by myself, and yes, the Sorting Hat suggested that." The look of disappointment in his eyes made her heart sink.

"Never met a more brilliant Slytherin, though. Easily the best of the bunch," Harry said joining their conversation. She smiled gratefully at him, then glanced once more at Sirius before resuming her browsing. Sirius looked at Harry.

"Unless Slytherin has changed a lot, there would have to be a vast improvement for there to be the best of a bunch in that lot, wouldn't there?" he asked his godson.

"Surprisingly, if you give them a chance, they can be pretty decent. A bit stiff, but its to be expected when that's all they've been taught their whole lives. It's like being told that you have to write with your left hand, and only your left hand, and only those who write with their left hand are worth being friends with. Finding someone who's nice and getting to become friends with them only to discover that they write with their right hand can, understandably, throw someone off," Harry said. "Or, y'know, they could simply enjoy her teaching method."

"Teaching method?"

"Yeah, she taught us several spells, and it was brilliant," Harry said. He opened his mouth but stopped, leaning slightly around Sirius to look behind him. Sirius turned and followed his gaze, spying the vibrant green jacket. "I'll tell you more later, like when we get back to the house, but right now, I think it's worth looking into connecting with her as more than just parent-child. Might learn something about yourself you never knew." With that, Harry returned to admire the red and gold jacket. Sirius stared after his godson before his eyes found his daughter looking at a simple beige dress with a green cardigan. He smiled gently.

 _My family would have_ loved _to know about this_ , he thought to himself dryly. He went up to the green jacket and looked at the prices.

"Anything I can help you with, sir?" an employee asked with a bright, cheery smile.

"No, I don't think so," he said with a sigh. "I'm just browsing."

"Alright, if you need any help, let me or one of my co-" she said before a voice interrupted them.

"Sirius?" said a man a few years older than Paige's father. Sirius looked up and did a double-take.

"Josh? How's it going, mate?" he asked, shaking his former schoolmate's hand.

"Good, how about you? I thought you were in prison?"

Sirius cringed. "I was, but I was granted a new trial," he explained. "I'm just here browsing with my daughter and godson."


	50. Chapter 49

The big day had arrived. July 15, 1993, Paige, Sirius, Harry, and the Dursleys woke early (much to Dudley's protests), and the Muggles stayed behind while the magical folk left to go to the Ministry through the Floo Network.

When they arrived, they exchanged anxious glances. Scott was there to meet them, wringing his hands with nervousness. "Oh thank Merlin you're here. I was afraid you'd forgotten," he said. "Come with me, your trial is about to start. It was bumped up by an hour."

"What? Why?" Paige asked, both curious and worried. Unconsciously, the three of them drew closer together, Sirius placing protective and comforting hands on both shoulders.

"I guess they want this over with as much as we do," he said. "Don't worry, the evidence is excellent and we did a bang-up job getting everything in place. You remember what you're supposed to do, Sirius?"

"Yup. When you guys show James and Lily being betrayed, I'm not to react violently, but I can show some expression," he said. "And when you guys show Pettigrew getting away as a rat after blasting the wall out, I'm not to have any reaction whatsoever." He squeezed the kids briefly. "Of the two watching his parents die is going to be the hardest."

"Yeah. I found out about you and James being best mates," Scott said. He turned to Harry and Paige. "You both remember what you're supposed to do, right?"

"Yup," they said. He looked pointedly at Harry.

"I'm to sit there silent, and as still as possible," he said.

They turned to Paige. "If I'm asked why I'm not heading this investigation even though I'm team leader, I tell them I'm emotionally invested in the case, and it could lead to corruption. Muggles figured this out years ago when a murderer was acquitted of a crime due to a full crate of physical evidence going being lost, and it was later discovered that his half-brother was chief of police," she said.

"Very good," he said to them. He looked up at a clock and gestured for them to follow. He hurried to the lift and they took it to the bottom floor. They made their way into the hearing and Sirius strode a little hesitantly to the chair in the middle of the room. Paige and Harry sat on his right side, Scott hung back, waiting for his turn to speak. Two more figures joined the pair, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape, though he stared straight forward, refusing to acknowledge their existence.

"Hello, Professor Dumbledore," Paige greeted him, trying to sound cheerful but not overly so. The Headmaster nodded to them before standing and heading to the front where he disappeared and settled into a seat with the other members.

Fudge rose and cleared his throat. "Sirius Black, twelve years ago you sat in that same chair for the same reason. You are once again being charged with betraying the late James and Lily Potter, as well as the mass murder of Peter Pettigrew and twenty others, not to mention destruction of public property," he said. "How do you plead?"

"Not guilty," Sirius said, relief evident in his voice.

"Very well, let's let Mr. Scott Jenson present your case for you," Fudge said. There was a stir amongst the wizards and witches sitting with him. Let another present a case? Unheard of!

Scott walked with his shoulders squared in an uncomfortable, almost unnatural manner, his steps seeming to be carefully measured, his chest out, his chin raised. He stopped level with Sirius' chair and nodded to Fudge and the others. He opened his mouth and introduced himself and the team.

"Mr. Jenson, might I ask why you are presenting this case instead of your leader, Ms. Black?" one witch said when Scott had finished his explanation.

"Well, she is present in the hearing today if you'd like to see her," he said politely. She nodded and Paige stood up.

"Oh haha, very funny, Mr. Jenson. If you didn't want to admit that you were team leader, don't be afraid to proudly announce it," sniffed the witch.

"Actually," Paige said, "I _am_ Agatha Paige Black, and the reason I didn't lead this investigation is because I didn't want to potentially compromise the investigation. In the Muggle world, if you'll bear with me on this, their judicial system states that if an officer, their version of an Auror, is or becomes emotionally invested in any given case, they are either forcibly removed, or elect to remove themselves from the case. The reason they began doing this is because about twenty years ago a Muggle man was acquitted of a crime because there wasn't enough evidence. He went on to kill four more people before he was finally convicted. It turned out that the reason he'd been acquitted was because the evidence had gone missing due to his half-brother being the chief of police. I'm trying to model my team dynamic after the Muggle judicial system. It's not perfect, but it is thorough." Dumbledore gave her the tiniest of nods and a half-power smile.

Fudge and most of the others sitting with him nodded in approval. Fudge spoke again. "Let's get on with this case, then, shall we? Twelve years is far too long to have a case open."

"Agreed," Scott said. He opened his mouth and verbally presented the evidence. "If there is any doubt, I have both memories taken from the locations in question. Two copies of each: the original and the slightly modified one. First, the originals, so you can see why they might have needed to be lightened a bit, and the spells dimmed somewhat."

He pulled out a small glass ball which expanded in his hand. He threw it to the ground, and darkness fell thicker than Peruvian Darkness Powder.

* * *

 _"Lily! It's him! Take Harry and get out of here! I'll hold them off!" shouted a voice in the darkness. Dim light filtered through the windows, illuminating a diamond on the floor in poorly lit moonlight. The door flew open with a blinding flash, and a voice hissed.  
_ "Avada Kedavra _," it said. An equally blinding flash of green light illuminated everything briefly before darkness once again reclaimed everything. There was a clamoring of feet on stairs and the point of view (POV) floated upstairs through the floor into a nursery that was somewhat sparsely decorated as though the occupants of the house were preparing to leave at a moments notice in case their once-safe home was compromised.  
The one place that was easy to see in, if only because of the owl nightlight was the nursery. The door flew open and a frantic woman begged for the intruder to spare her son.  
She never felt a thing. "_Avada Kedavra," _the voice said again. The same green light temporarily blinded everyone.  
"Mama, mama," cooed a little green-eyed baby with tubby little cheeks in a sweet little top and bottom. The man with the wand pointed it at him. Baby-Harry pointed at the man and said, in the cutest voice, "No!" as the man cast the spell that had already proven lethal twice. An exceptionally bright flash caused her to close her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, the man in the cloak was gone, and little baby-Harry had begun crying._

* * *

What brought her back to her body was someone putting a death-grip on her wrist. While everyone else was getting their bearings, she focused on trying to convince Professor Snape to release her arm.

"You're gonna break my arm!" she hissed to him.

"What?" He looked down at her wrist and flinched back. "S-sorry."

Scott shook his head, reorienting himself. Sirius had tears on his face, but remained silent. Harry was shaking and Paige squeezed his hand.

"And now," Scott said. "For the slightly modified one. As I mentioned, this one is adjusted so you can see, including dimming spells down." He pulled out another orb, this one showing figures clearly. He threw it to the ground and darkness once again, claimed everyone's vision.  
When they came out of that memory, the image of Pettigrew was burned into their mind, having been both the first and last one they had seen of the attackers.

"B-but Sirius killed him, didn't he?" said a wizard sitting on Dumbledore's right.

"Unfortunately no, but we are searching for him. We have reason to believe he's an unregistered Animagus, so he could be anywhere," Scott said. "This memory will show us what his form is."

Throwing it on the ground, everyone saw Pettigrew run down an alleyway, Sirius close behind him, throwing spells and curse words his way. Pettigrew whipped around upon finding no escape. His pursuer rounded the corner and glared hatefully at the man before him.

* * *

Sirius was wearing a simple robe that didn't exactly scream "LOOK AT ME I'M A WIZARD!" but also didn't say "completely normal" either. It was the epitome of neutral.

As Sirius shot two minor spells on either side of his prey, Pettigrew turned fearful and tearful eyes on him. "Y-you b-betrayed James and Lily!" yelped Pettigrew. He backed up, his hands behind his back, right tightly clasping his wand. As they watched, an orb of orange light hit the wall behind him, causing the wall to explode and Sirius to be thrown onto his back while Pettigrew turned into a rat and scampered off, leaving behind a finger for the world to find.

Sirius picked himself up, muttering absolutely atrocious words as he brushed himself off. Ministry workers appeared around him, making him whip around, wand at the ready. Someone Disarmed him and he looked around before dropping to his knees, hands raised in surrender.

* * *

After that memory ended, Fudge cleared his throat. "So, now that the evidence has been presented, we shall cast a vote. Those in favor of guilty?" Two hands went up. "Okay, those in favor of innocent?" Fudge was among the twelve wizards and witches who raised their hands, including Professor Dumbledore. "Sirius, you've been acquitted of all charges, and have the Ministry's deepest apologies." He looked from Scott to Paige. "One of you two may release him. Case dismissed."

The hug that Harry, Paige, and Sirius shared couldn't have felt better, even if it tried.


	51. Chapter 50

That night, after the Dursleys left to return home from their impromptu vacation, Paige and Sirius sat in the sitting room, cuddling on the couch. They were both smiling in contentment after the battle for Sirius' freedom had been won, and was finally over.

She looked up at her father after Harry had retired to the bedroom he had claimed from the first night, and said, "Dad? How did you and Mom meet?"

Sirius sighed and looked down at her before looking above the mantle where a picture of him and his wife on their wedding day stood prominently on display. His heart twisted, longing to see Adrienna's face and hear her voice one more time. "It's kind of a long story, pumpkin," he said at length. She sat up and looked at him, curiosity scorching through her eyes. He looked down at her a gave a small laugh before squeezing her once more and recounting his tale.

* * *

-Twenty Years Before-

* * *

"Here we are," James said. "Platform 9 3/4!" The bright red locomotive had steam already billowing out in a large white cloud. Sirius looked around, taking everything in. He knew it would be an experience he'd never forget.

"Let's get on the train. It looks like it's about to leave," he said. They piled onto the train and found a compartment, sassing a couple fellow students out. The train began to slowly move and the door to their compartment opened, admitting a pretty girl with grey eyes and skin like ivory. There was a quiet, guarded demeanor about her.

"Hi, is it alright if I sit with you guys?" she asked in a timid voice. Sirius and James exchanged glances.

"Sure," James said. She sat down on the seat across from them and pulled out a book that had been read multiple times, based on appearance alone. The once vibrant sea green of the cover was worn thread bare in places while the spine had been rebound twice. _The Chrysalids John Wyndham_ was written on the front, though the ink was somewhat faded. Her fall sweater was about four sizes too big for her, and its tawny yellow washed her skin tone out to the point of giving her skin an unhealthy pale green tinge to it. The jeans she had were little more than Capri's while the scuffs and holes in her thin-soled dusty brown loafers clearly told of days spent running around in the summer sunshine, laughing her head off as her family played "Chase." For some reason, Sirius felt that it had been years since she had played herself to sleep

James leaned over to him. "What do you think her story is?" he whispered in the quietest of breaths.

Sirius shrugged, switching his gaze from the girl in their compartment to watch the trees and countryside whiz past them. "No idea," he whispered back. He and James got out a textbook and set it up as a barrier so they could whisper back and forth without being disturbed. "Probably doesn't want to talk about it, I'd imagine."

"Not likely," agreed James. "Dying to know, though. Let's ask her what house she thinks she's going to be in."

"Fine," Sirius said. James dropped the book and cleared his throat, tapping the girl's book, earning an annoyed eyebrow raise for his troubles. She reluctantly tore her eyes from the words on the page and looked at the boys opposite her.

"We were wondering what house you think you're going to be in," said James. "I'm certain I'm going to be in Gryffindor, and so's he."

"I-I don't know. My mom was in Ravenclaw, but I didn't hear much about Hogwarts, and my dad never went, nor did my stepmother," she said, looking down at the cover of her book before looking out the window, a sad, lonely look in her eyes.


	52. Chapter 51

While walking through the halls a few days later, joking with James and jostling each other playfully, Sirius stopped in his tracks briefly when he spotted the girl they had met on the train. They had the same Potions class, but rarely talked outside of any group projects Slughorn dictated to them. He remembered hearing her name being called for Sorting and her being placed in Ravenclaw. The blue accents made her skin stand out, but not in an unpleasant sickly way. Her dark brown hair usually sat partially up, sometimes with a blue bandana, which she wore for Potions.

James looked at him oddly before following his gaze. "Still hooked on her?" he sighed in exasperation.

"I'm curious about her. I can't shake the feeling that she and I would have a fair bit in common, know what I mean?" Sirius said. He and James had Study Hall next, so they were free to theorize. The bell rang and they headed to the Study Hall classroom while she darted off to her Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. James and Sirius took out their notes and writing equipment. Unable to focus on his studies (not uncommon, honestly), he stood and looked around for a Ravenclaw student in the hopes that maybe Adrienna had spilled the beans to one of her Housemates. Spying a prefect he picked up his stuff and scooched over beside them. They looked at each other and nodded in acknowledgement. "Hey." Absently writing in the easy answers he knew, Sirius slowly counted to four hundred, which was absolute _agony_ considering his burning curiosity about the girl from the train.

After a while the prefect sighed, looking at the front of the class. Rolling his eyes, he turned and faced Sirius. "What do you want to know?" he growled.

"Huh?" Sirius asked innocently. He mentally cheered, he might actually have the answers he needed to the questions he had.

"I've seen the way you look at that Hortace girl. What do you want to know so you can leave me in peace?" snapped the prefect.

"I just want to know her story. What's her home life like? Does she have any siblings? What are her parents like?" Sirius asked, firing off the questions that had been bugging him the most.

The prefect sighed, dropping his gaze to the floor. He studied it for a brief spell then looked up and Sirius. He cast a silent spell and gestured for James to listen in as well. "Here's what she told us last night: She lives with her father because her mother died when she was around seven. Her father is a Muggle, and loved her mother dearly, but remarried to a rather...unique Muggle. Very religious, believes that anything magic-related is devil worship or something, so took her to priests who performed exorcisms, baptisms, spiritual cleansing rituals, and so on. This lead to her being very depressed and almost catatonic, or completely shut down. She was barely functioning, and the priest she saw regularly sent her to a psychiatrist and a psychologist to figure out what was wrong with her. They diagnosed her with depression and prescribed her a bunch of stuff that didn't really work before one of their friends recommended she try something Muggles use as a recreational habit. It worked remarkably well, bringing her back from the brink of not only despair but death. That's all I know, so don't bother me again! And leave her alone for magic sake!" Sirius reeled before he and James retreated to their original spot.

"Merlin's beard," James said. "What else do you sense? What do you think the weather will be tomorrow?"

Sirius gawked at him. " _That's_ what you took from that? Really? Not the whole, 'girl has horrific backstory that could have ended in tragedy over something she couldn't stop all because of an insane Muggle?'" hissed he.

"Just asking, jeez," James said in a hurt tone, turning back to his studies. The bell rang five minutes later and Sirius split off from him to go to Potions, the only class they didn't have together. Usually he stood beside Adrienna but when he took his usual place she packed her stuff and moved, giving him a hurt look.

Word apparently, traveled fast. "Happy now?" snapped she after class ended. "You know my full story, and made my own house betray me to do it!"

"Listen, I'm really sorry, but-" Sirius started.

"No! Nothing good ever follows 'but,'" she said, a pained look in her eyes. "It's the easiest way to make an apology insincere, meaningless, a falsehood."

Sirius opened his mouth before shutting it and falling silent, dropping his gaze to the ground on their left. She stormed off and he looked around for James.

"Woo! What's her problem, right?" he joked. Seeing no change in his friend's demeanor, James herded Sirius into a quiet area. "I was just trying to lighten the mood. You don't need her. If she has any sort of life left in her, she'll take care of herself, you just worry about having as much fun as possible while also passing classes."

"Yeah," Sirius said dully. "I guess you're right." Guilt nagged at him. Why couldn't he have just stuck his nose out of other people's business? He just _had_ to ask about a girl with a troubled past who clearly didn't want to discuss it, whether because she wasn't ready for it, or because she had repressed it.


	53. Chapter 52

Year three came around with no change. Adrienna was still angry with him, and he wasn't really surprised. Even so he still held on to the minuscule speck of hope that they'd be friends some day. Winter had come with a cold, blustery vengeance, so unexpected and sudden that the Hogwarts house-elves were still rushing around to ensure there was plenty of firewood for each common room and class room. One day while he and James were outside throwing snowballs at each other, Adrienna began shrieking in terror. They looked in her direction in time to see her wand clatter to the ground as she sped down an exceptionally icy path heading straight for the lake, which hadn't quite frozen over.

"Shit! James, call for help! I'm going after her," Sirius said, tucking his wand in his waist as he went down headfirst after her, knowing that he could easily go off-track and break his neck. In spite of his efforts, she still went into the lake after going off a snow drift that made for the perfect makeshift ramp, sinking swiftly out of sight. He dove into the water, clamping his mouth shut tightly to prevent himself from inhaling water. He pulled out his wand as he swam toward her and cast the Bubble Charm around his head so he could breathe. He reached Adrienna just as she blacked out, releasing the remaining air in her lungs. He quickly cast the same charm around her head before grabbing on to her and heading back for the surface. They broke through the thin layer of ice that had built up just as Dumbledore and Hagrid reached the lakeside. Hagrid threw them a rope, which Sirius grabbed onto with one hand, passing his wand to the same hand that was wrapped around Adrienna, and pulled them ashore. Sirius shivered violently, in spite of his best efforts to hold still. Several students arrived at the lakeside to see what the fuss was about. He pointed his wand at her and through completely numb lips said, " _Anapneo_." Almost immediately a spray of water erupted from her mouth, negating the bubble charm as she coughed back to consciousness. Before either of them had time to really speak, they were both whisked off to Madame Pomfrey for a check over.

She tutted over the shivering pair. "A change of clothes, a nice hot meal, then a stay overnight will set you both right. Yes, I do believe that's all you need," she said, bustling around. "What caused this?"

"A Slytherin boy pushed me and I slipped down a path toward the lake," Adrienna stammered. She disappeared into a curtained off bed as she changed out of her sopping robes and into a warm pair of pajamas.

Sirius took the opportunity to say his involvement. "When I heard her screaming I looked and saw her whiz by me while I was out chucking snowballs with James Potter. Her wand had fallen out of her hand and lodged into a snowbank so I told James to get help and dove after her," he said before another shiver made Madame Pomfrey point him to a separate curtained bed. He flashed a quick smile before nipping off to change himself.

After a nice hot bowl of soup, coupled with deliciously steamy hot chocolate, Sirius couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that Adrienna was staring at him. He looked up and found that, indeed, she was. Not knowing what to say or do, he flashed her a quick smile and lay down to rest. He heard movement not long after he had closed his eyes and opened them to see Adrienna sitting on the neighboring bed. He sat up, and they stared at each other for a while.

"Why did you dive after me? I've given you no reason to want to save me," she said.

"It's the right thing to do," Sirius said. "You couldn't have saved yourself, and you'd have drowned if I hadn't gone down after you." He slowly turned and looked down at his shins, just in front of him, but not quite straight down. He was sitting with his legs fully covered and bent slightly so he had a stable base.

"Thank you," she said after a while.

"Might not be the best time, but, you wanna go on a date at Hogsmeade?" he said not long after.

"W-what?" Half of her face contracted, exposing teeth in surprise, while the other half remained neutral.

"Sorry. Just thought I'd try to lighten the mood," he said. "I, uh, I'll let you be. I...I'm gonna lay down and get some sleep." She got up and returned to her bed. Once she had lay down he rolled over and tried to sleep, silently berating himself for his brainless inquiry.


	54. Chapter 53

The next night, Sirius, James, and their friends Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin were all in bed, quietly discussing girls they had taken fancies to, classes, joking about their fellow classmates, and the like. Remus mentioned that due to the difficulties and challenges inflicted upon him as a child, he wouldn't dare drag anyone into such danger.

"You're not dangerous, Remus," James said, tossing a crumpled up piece of parchment into the air repeatedly. "You've just got a furry little problem." He shrugged. "No biggie."

"Never disregard someone else's problems; especially if you yourself have never experienced them," Sirius said distractedly. He was laying on his stomach doodling in a spare potions notebook he'd been given.

Remus gave him a grateful smile. "What're you working on?" he asked, pointing with his chin at the book.

"Just doodling," he replied, embarrassed at what exactly he was working on. For some reason, Sirius couldn't get Adrienna's eyes out of his head. The hazel-grey color had such a fiery passion within them, a twinkle of mischief, and a kindness that resonated with him. James caught the ball of parchment and threw it at him. He started when the slightly sharp edges struck him just above the eyebrow. He looked over at James, not realizing he'd dropped his book on the ground where it had fallen open.

James was on it in an instant, thumbing through it. "The bloody hell are these?" he asked. Sirius scrambled to his feet, trying not to portray the panic he felt. "Drawings of eyes?"

"Yeah. They, er, fascinate me," he said, blushing deeply in spite of his attempts to appear casual. "Nothing wrong with that, is there?" A wave of panic overwhelmed him and he sat down hard on the bed when he saw a page he had drawn a full facial drawing from memory of Adrienna while they were in the library one day on.  
Remus, noticing his distress, came over to look. "These are excellent drawings, Sirius," he commented, peering over James' shoulder. "Have you considered taking Magical Arts next year?"

"N-no," he stammered. "Didn't cross my mind."

"These are of that girl, aren't they," James said. It was a statement, not a question.

"Not _just_ her!" protested Sirius. He snatched back the book, stuffed it under his pillow and fell into bed, covering up with the blanket in a smooth, graceful move. "Goodnight, mates."

"Night," Peter said, not wanting to get involved. He lay down and blew out his candle, rolling onto his side to face the window.

Remus waited to go back to bed until, with an accusatory glare, James climbed into bed with a snort. He extinguished the other candle before going to bed himself.

* * *

The next morning, a Friday, and also the day before a Hogsmeade weekend, Sirius woke surprisingly early and, not wanting to wake anyone, dressed quietly before sneaking downstairs and out of the Gryffindor common room. He wandered the halls before bumping into Adrienna in the third floor hallway. She was perched in a window reading the same book he'd seen her with before, _The Chrysalids_.

"Hey," he said quietly. She jumped slightly before turning her head and seeing him out of the corner of her eye.

"Hi," she said in the same tone. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I dunno," replied he. He walked to her feet and leaned against the wall, arms lightly crossed in front of him. "What's so fascinating about that book? You must have read it like a million times by now."

She sighed and bookmarked her place before closing the book. "This book speaks to me. It's about a boy who was born with a gift that many people don't approve of. So he and a group of about twenty people are forced to hide their talents or risk torture, sterilization, and possibly, death. They eventually are found out and have to go on the run. It says that it's okay to be different, it's good in fact. That not everything that's different is bad."  
Silence reigned for a brief spell. _This fascinates me,_ Sirius thought. "Do they make it to safety?" She gave him a smile before handing over the book.

"Guess you'll just have to read and see for yourself," she said with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes.

"So, I was wondering," he said as he took the book. She tilted her head in a curious fashion. "If you're not doing anything this weekend, would you like to grab some butterbeer at the Hogshead?"

She blinked. "Sure," she said after a moment's hesitation.

He grinned before smothering it to draw it back down to a smile. He drummed his fingers on the underside of the book. "Well. I'll see you at the Hogshead, then," he said. "In the mean time, I'll get to reading this book. Thanks."

"No problem," she said. "Happy reading."

"Thanks. Have a great day." And with that they went their separate ways.


	55. Chapter 54

That night, Sirius found himself nose deep in _The Chrysalids_ , engrossed in the boy, David's, dilemma. The had been discovered and were on the run, with the promise of a rescue from some far off place, though it was far, far in the distance, to the point help seemed impossible. With there being only about two chapters, maybe three, left, he was beginning to think that maybe this book ended in tragedy. Remus spoke up, startling him from his readings.

"Oh, you're reading _The Chrysalids_?" he asked. Sirius lowered the book and sat up before nodding, "I _love_ that book. What part are you at now?"

"They've been discovered and two of their group have been captured," he replied. He looked down at the pages. "This...doesn't end well for David and his friends, does it?"

"Trust me," Remus said, a spark in his eyes hinting at the joy of reading a beloved book. "It's an ending you can't see coming."

They looked down at the book. Remus dug around in his trunk and pulled out an old battered copy of the same book. He opened it and slouched down as he read.

"Okay, you guys have piqued my interest. Let's hear it," Peter said, sitting on the edge of his bed, slippers on his untrimmed toenails. Remus and Sirius exchanged glances.

"I'll start then," he said. He cleared his throat and began to read. About three chapters in, Sirius took over, bookmarking his place so that he could read in private. It alternated between them until after they reached the last chapter, when Sirius' voice started to falter in surprise while Remus kept up a steady tone, like one who is completely relaxed with their surroundings.

Finally, the book ended, and Sirius felt kind of shaken, but also relieved. He looked around, imagining what his friends' thought-patterns would be like. Would James' have a flowing elegance to them? Would Peter's have a clipped tone? Would Remus' have a half-wild thought to it?

As though hearing his thoughts, the latter laughed. "Wondering what people's minds are like?" he said between gales of chuckles.

Blushing, but not wanting to straight-out lie, Sirius changed the subject. "Maybe. Anyways, I should probably get to sleep. I've got a date tomorrow," he said, snuffing out his candle and rolling over.

* * *

The next morning, Sirius woke early again, checking the time before falling back to sleep. He didn't want to miss the trip to Hogsmeade, but also didn't want to wander the halls so early in the morning. Finally he couldn't wait any longer. He got out of bed, dressed quickly in comfortable robes before slipping out of the common room. He wandered the halls again, bringing with him the book he'd borrowed from Adrienna. If he, perchance, ran into her again, he'd return it. Lo and behold, he did. She was standing at the same window he'd met her at before.

"Hey," he said, greeting her with a warm smile.

"Hi," said she in return. She flashed a quick smile before resuming staring out the window. He brought the book out and passed it to her. "You finished it?"

"Yup. I read it to my friends last night," he said. "That ending was-" He puffed out his cheeks as he sighed. "-wow. I can see why you like the book so much. David's story is...incredible."

"Yeah," she said. "I feel it's also quite relevant. Some Muggles believe that magic is highly immoral and devil-worship."

"So I've heard," he said.

"My stepmum is among them, unfortunately," she said. She sat on the windowsill. He refrained from informing her that he knew. He didn't want to blow his one chance at a date with her.

"Do...do you want to talk about it?" he asked haltingly. She looked at him studiously for a moment before looking out the window again.

"After my Mum died, Dad figured I'd need a mother-figure in my life, so instead of dating around, he found a woman who didn't make him feel intimidated and who, at first, didn't scare me. It wasn't until after they were married that she showed her true colors. At the wedding, which was just us, a minister, and some close family and friends, after they exchanged vows, I sent some flowers up into the air. I was _trying_ to be charming, but that apparently was not going to fly with Velma. She immediately flinched away from it and me, screaming about devil worship, begging the priest to 'fix' me so I couldn't go to hell," she said, her voice wavering. "My Dad tried to explain to her that it was something I was born with, like a certain color of hair, or skin, but she didn't care. She saw me as a devils spawn, and she didn't want anything to do with me. She and my Dad went to counselling together, and brought me with them twice. Both times, thankfully, the man knew about the wizarding world, and tried to explain it to her. She got up and stormed out both times, shouting about us trying to coerce her into devil worship. Ever since then, I've been careful not to slip up around her. It's like not being allowed to acknowledge part of who I am. It's suffocating." She closed her eyes, tears flowing from them. Without thinking, he put a hand on her shoulder.

"You're safe now. You're among friends," he said comfortingly. "I honestly thought I had it bad. My mother said that I wasn't part of the family because I was sorted into Gryffindor. Everyone in my family has been sorted into Slytherin except me."

"Wow," she said, wiping her eyes. She swallowed. "That sucks."

Students started filling the air with noise. They looked in the direction of the most noise and he saw her wipe her face out of the corner of his eye. Her face was flushed, but it could be excused due to the cold, thankfully.

"Ready to go to Hogsmeade?" he asked her.

To his surprise, she slipped her hand into his. "Yeah," she said, giving him a grateful smile.


	56. Chapter 55

"So we got to Hogsmeade and-" Sirius said before cutting himself off after hearing a soft snoring. He looked down and blinked before smiling at the little fox beside him, asleep with her head half on his chest, half in his armpit. He looked at the time and his eyes widened. "No wonder you fell asleep," he whispered to her. "Midnight is awfully late for your age." He picked her up and she woke up briefly before settling into his arms and resuming her slumber.

He carried her upstairs to her bedroom and tucked her in. Kissing her forehead after pulling the covers up, he felt his heart turn over. She and her mother had that way of making him happy just by existing. He left the room quietly, giving her one last long look before closing the door. He checked on Harry and found the boy asleep with his glasses on, the lamp on, and a book open on his lap. Sirius smiled and bookmarked the page, set it aside, turned the lamp off, removed and folded his glasses. Then came the task of deciding whether to wake him or to just adjust him. Compromising, Sirius gently laid him down on his side, slipping a pillow under his head. Then he returned to his own room. He changed clothes and climbed into the soft, warm bed, giving the laughing picture of Adrienna one last heartbroken look before placing her on the nightstand. He clicked the lamp off then hunkered down before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, he woke early and went down for breakfast. The mail arrived and there were a few letters for Paige, a few for Harry, and, to his surprise, two for him. One was from Remus, the other from Josiah, an old friend he'd met during the years he, James, Remus, and Peter had been in the Order. Josiah was a squib, but had extensive knowledge of the wizarding world. He was a lawyer in a Muggle law firm, often dealing with lawsuits and civil disputes. He opened both and read them just as Harry all but fell down the stairs.

"Good morning," he said to his godson. Biddy set a steaming mug of weak breakfast tea before him. Harry sat down and ran his fingers through his black rats nest of a mop.

"G'morn'n," Harry mumbled. "Did you come into my room last night?"

"Yeah. Around midnight," Sirius said. "I figured you'd have a nasty crick in your neck if I left you sleeping sitting up, so I laid you on your side."

"Ah. Ok. I thought I had somehow sleep-walked or something," Harry said. A loud series of thumps came down the stairs before a very sleepy Fennec fox flopped into view.

"Good morning, sleepy," Sirius said to his daughter, who stretched luxuriously and yawned before shifting into her human form, her casual Muggle clothes quite rumpled from sleeping in them.

"Hi," she said, her voice cracking from having just woken up. "I see the mail has been delivered. Anything good?"

Sirius turned and grabbed the letters for her, passing them over, then doing the same for Harry. They opened them and read them in silence.

"Cool," Harry said. "School supply list arrived." He had found his brain and plugged it in, allowing him to at least seem to feel more awake.

Paige finished browsing them before jumping out of her seat with a grin. Sirius looked at her, concern etched into the wrinkles on his face. "Yes! Different books by different authors!" she cheered. Harry laughed.

"Yeah, that is a relief," Harry agreed.

"What are you two talking about? Wasn't there different authors last year?" Sirius asked, looking back and forth between them.

"Last year there-" started Paige before sighing. "Lemme show you." She pounded up the stairs before returning to the kitchen and handing Sirius a sheet of paper with the school supplies.

Sirius read the list of book, his eyebrows raising in surprise, then one sinking in sheer disbelief. His eyes were as wide and unbelieving as a Muggle seeing a witch or wizard Disapparate. He lowered the paper and looked between them. "So, I see what you mean. Are you sure this is the real list?"

They nodded. "Not much variety for authors," Harry said.

"Mmm, two for me. Lockhart and someone else," Paige said.

"Same."


	57. Chapter 56

About an hour later, Sirius was dressed in casual robes, and knocked on the smallest bedroom which Paige had converted into an office. She'd grown tired of brushing moth balls off her desk, and decided to move office. She and Harry were working on the last bits of homework. They looked up at him curiously.

"You guys wanna go to Diagon Alley to get those books and supplies?" he asked. Harry grinned and Paige smiled as they both nodded in agreement. Sirius spotted a slip of paper in Harry's hand and nodded to it. "That what I think it is?"

"What do you think it is?" Harry asked.

"You were disobedient all last year, and are being expelled, right?" Harry's confused and shocked expression prompted a burst of laughter from Sirius and Paige. "I'm kidding. That's your permission slip for Hogsmeade, right?"

Harry sighed with relief. "Yeah," he said. Sirius held out a hand and received the slip of paper.

"Mind if I borrow this?" Sirius asked, pointing to an eagle feather quill. Paige nodded, removing the cap. He went to dip it into the inkwell and found her hand there instead. "This needs to be dipped in ink for writing, doesn't it?"

"Mmm," Paige said leaning around to check the side of the quill. "Nope. It's full. I designed and charmed that particular feather with Professor Flitwick's assistance last year. You fill it up, pop the cap on, and the ink stays usable for months." At his dubious look, she rolled her eyes and held out a scrap of paper. "Do a squiggle on this parchment."

He did so and ink flowed easily out of the end of the quill. His eyebrows rose in complete surprise, so he took the quill over and signed the permission slip. "I'll sign yours next year," he informed her.

"Thanks, Dad," she said. She replaced the quill in its cap and returned it to the decorative holder she had received that morning for an early birthday present.

"No problem," he said giving her a gentle, loving smile. After a moment, he cleared his throat. "So, you guys want to get ready and go to get those supplies?"

"Sure," she said. Harry slipped past them and headed to his room to get the list. Sirius noticed the papers on the desk and tilted his head curiously, taking the two steps to read them.

"What are these? Study notes?" he asked his daughter.

"Nope. I was thinking that there's not many people who know even basic Defense Against the Dark Arts, so I want to help them by publishing a small book with an 'ever-expand' charm that Professor Flitwick and I created together. Basically it makes it so that there's always one more page to write on, and if you divide the notes into sections, you can continue to add to them at a later date," she said.

He stared at her, not entirely sure she understood the mindbogglingly amazing creation she had come up with. "So, it's a never-ending notebook?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah! That's actually a great idea for the name of them. Brilliant, in fact," she said. She grabbed an elegant, yet simple quill and scribbled the name down using a script he'd never seen before.

"Lovely writing," he said.

"Thanks," she said. "I developed it by borrowing-slash-stealing from the Muggles. There's Muggle cursive writing, which I learned in their schools, Old English, with the dots and dashes, and simple calligraphy. Even if I got the answer wrong on a test, I was complimented on my writing." She replaced the quill in its place then turned to her father. "Shall we go to Diagon Alley, then?"

He blinked and stepped back. "Yeah," he said.

"Great!" she said excitedly. She rushed off to get ready herself.

* * *

When they arrived in Diagon Alley, they headed for Gringotts. Paige brought out a pricing sheet and she and Harry studied it briefly. Sirius peered over their shoulders.

"Don't worry about the prices, guys. This year is on me," he said.

"No, it's fine. I don't want you to clear out your vault for me," Harry said.

"Yeah," Paige said. "Besides, with my job at the Ministry, I've decided to open my own vault, and paid off every galleon I took from your vault to buy my school supplies last year."

"You did _what_?!" he yelped. They flinched and looked around at the goblins. Sirius dropped his volume. "Why aren't you using the family vault?"

"Because Mum taught me to not live off the fruits of others' labours, and that includes inheritance," she said simply. "Besides, if anything happens to you, how much do you want to bet that you'd give everything to Harry?"

He paused for a shamefully long time. "You make a good argument," he relented. "But, as it is, nothing has happened to me, so will you let me buy your school supplies? Both of you?"

Paige sighed, exchanged glances with Harry who shrugged, his expression showing anxiety, but something akin to relief. "Sure," she said. "Why not?"

"Thank you," he said. They headed into Gringotts, Nunu tagging along in the bag she had received from work. It didn't have her _Encyclopedia_ in it, but instead had a second wand she had received for work. If she used her regular wand for work, it would be looked into. If she did, the magic use would go unnoticed, to a point. Using her work wand for wand combat would be looked into, which was to be expected.

They whisked down to the vault, causing Harry to yelp in alarm when they dropped at an excessive speed. Sirius laughed as first Paige, then Nunu, clung to him fearfully. Harry was putting a death grip on the other metal handle. Finally the terrifying ride slowed down. She passed him the key she had and he, in turn, gave it to Turntail, who unlocked the vault and opened it. Sirius paused briefly at the door, confusion bubbling up within him. Paige walked in with an almost bored air about her. He followed her.

"When you paid back the galleons, did you, perchance, happen to give me back a bit more than you owed?" he asked her.

"Yup," she said proudly. "I figured that just because you weren't in my life at the time, doesn't mean you weren't still family. If I hadn't gotten or taken the job at the Ministry, I'd happily let you take care of me, but, as it stands, I took the job, and am getting paid quite handsomely."

He chuckled. He had to admit, her determination was admirable, if a bit infuriating. The three of them looked at the lists and priced them out. After getting the galleons, Paige and Harry returned to the cart, Sirius shoving a few more fistfuls into the bag before joining them.


	58. Chapter 57

After getting fitted for new robes, and meeting up with Hermione and the Weasleys, the whole group went about their day, purchasing their supplies. About midday they stopped in a cafe for lunch.

Hermione, both understandably and irritably remembering that Sirius was once a convict, decided to ask after that. "So how did the trial go?"

"Brilliantly," Sirius said, a pleasant smile gracing his face, brightening it and making his gaunt features fill with life.

"Weren't you convicted, though?"

"Hermione!" chastised her mother. She gave Sirius an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, we don't get _The Daily Prophet_ at our home. I'm sure that you were acquitted, or-"She turned to her daughter, giving her a reprimanding look, "-you wouldn't be seated here."

As if on cue, an owl, with a copy of the aforementioned newspaper sailed in, depositing its burden before whisking out, an angry shout from the owner of the cafe.  
Hermione grabbed it from Paige's hands, earning a cleared throat from her father, and read it aloud.

* * *

 ** _BLACK FOUND NOT GUILTY!  
Twelve years behind bars, finally reunited with his daughter._**

 _On the second of August, 1981, Sirius Orion Black was sent to Azkaban for the betrayal of the late James and Lily (Evans) Potter to the treacherous He Who Must Not Be Named, as well as the murder of Peter Pettigrew, and twelve Muggle bystanders._  
 _In a new trial, headed by Scott Jenson of the new Department of Independent Imperative Investigations, Sirius was found not guilty due to new evidence turning up. This evidence, found using a spell taught at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, depicted the events that took place that fateful night._  
 _Sirius has returned home and settled in comfortably at the cottage he and his wife Adrienna (Hortace) built with their daughter, Agatha Paige Black._

* * *

"'Comfortable' isn't exactly the word I'd use," Sirius remarked. His voice dropped to almost inaudible. "Don't know if I'll ever feel comfortable again." Paige reached over and pressed his forearm, giving him a supportive smile. He smiled and ruffled her hair, chuckling.

Hermione continued, " _Article Written by the esteemed Rita Skeeter_."

"She certainly thinks highly of herself, doesn't she?" Paige commented dryly. Sirius choked on his butterbeer as he laughed. "Sorry."

"It's fine," he rasped, his eyes streaming. He wiped them before having another sip. He closed his eyes briefly. "I'd forgotten how delightful this stuff is. Even better with good company."

Warm smiles were shared before everyone headed off to their own tasks. After popping off to the loo briefly, Paige found Harry and Sirius staring longingly at a broom in the Quidditch shop. She sighed, rolled her eyes, muttered, "guys" under her breath, and then went over to see the fuss.

 _Firebolt. Fastest broom on market_ read a little card beneath a lovely looking broom. Seeing the look in Harry's eye, she dragged him away from it. "You have a perfectly functional Nimbus, Harry. Use that. If it breaks, by _accident_ might I add, Dad and I will discuss getting you a new broom. Don't be greedy!" She cuffed him on the shoulder before looking for her father. "Oh for the love of- Dad!" He started and looked in her direction. She beckoned and he pointed at the window. She turned back to Harry. "Stay." Shoving her way through the crowd, she grabbed her father's arm and hauled him away from the window. "If Harry's broom breaks accidentally, we can discuss getting him a new one. You're not to waste your galleons on a new broom when his Nimbus is perfectly functional."

Sirius sighed, resigned, casting another glance at the Firebolt before saying "Fine" and allowing Paige to drag both him and Harry through the rest of their purchases. Then they returned home.


	59. Chapter 58

A few days later, about two weeks before the start of term, Paige was busy filing some paperwork when a knock sounded on her door.

"Come in," she called without looking up. She turned when the door opened and Emily, a member of the team, poked her head in.

"Hey, boss," she greeted. Paige cringed.

"Don't call me 'boss,' I'm your coworker," she said, turning and pinching her index and thumb together to accent her point. She turned back to her filing. "What's up?"

"Well, since we don't have many cases here, the German Ministry has requested to 'rent' us, if you will, for a week," she said.

Paige stopped her busywork and stared at the bookcase before her. Among the hundreds of dictionaries and thesauruses, were a few scattered encyclopedias.

"So...do we have a choice in this or has Fudge already agreed?"

"It was less of a request more of an agreement to sure up alliances between Ministries," she said. Emily set a large business envelope on the desk. "From what I hear, family is allowed to come, though only two."

"Cool," Paige said. She could already see her dad and Harry nervously and excitedly packing for a week-long trip. She heard the door close and turned to the desk. She picked up the envelope and opened it. Internally, she was bouncing off the walls with excitement. Her mother had once been sent on an undercover mission as a sled dog to scout for You Know Who's actions, and she had told her all about the beautiful scenery, the food, the drinks, and how smoothly everything had run.

* * *

When she arrived home, she called together the family.

"So, I've got some big news regarding my work," she said.

"Okay," Sirius said. "Is this good big news or bad big news? Were you fired?"

"It's...I don't know, news. I was informed today that the Department of Independent Imperative Investigations has been, for lack of a better word, 'rented' by the German Ministry, and they're allowing family to come along. It's for a week, and we don't really have a choice," she said nervously, anxiously watching their expressions.

If Harry's eyes were any brighter from excitement, he could be a second Sun. Sirius seemed excited but a bit nervous.

"Awesome!" Harry said, his tone suggesting that he was trying to contain his excitement.

"Yeah, sounds great," Sirius said, grinning. "When do we leave?"

"Dawn tomorrow," Paige said, sighing with relief.

* * *

About midday the next day they were seated in a lovely train that would take them across the country, and over to Germany, where they were to meet a representative of the German Ministry and from there shown their accommodations. They darted underground, going through the massive Tunnel connecting France and England. Harry, being the excited scamp he was, had his nose practically pressed against the window until they went under the channel separating the two countries.

Sirius and Paige were both pouring over the encyclopedia she had snagged on Germany, so they would know at least something about the culture. She was in her fox form on his lap, her pointed nose twitching excitedly as they read the information. They both flinched back from the window slightly, looking out in alarm, when the train suddenly dove underground to cross the English Channel (or la Manche, French for The Sleeve).


	60. Chapter 59

After a two day train ride, a forty-five minute wait for their next train, followed by another day and a half by train, they finally arrived at their destination.

What a curious sight they must have been, a thin, near-skeletal man and two thin, but not undernourished children, stepping off the train with a scraggly cat and an elegant snowy owl that swooped down and landed on the shoulder of the young boy, nipping his fingers gently, but still hard enough to send a message of displeasure. Well, after disembarking from their final leg, Paige, Harry, and Sirius looked around rather excitedly, but also tiredly.

"What a trip," Paige sighed wearily. She perked up almost instantly when she spotted Scott talking to a rotund man with dirty blond hair, balding on top, and a thick accent that carried. "Hey, Scott!"

Her second in command raised a hand in greeting. Then gestured for them to approach. They did so, dragging their luggage with them. Harry and Paige had their garments in the canvas bag with the Department of Independent Imperative Investigations burned onto the front from the night they'd had to flee from Little Whinging from Lockhart. Sirius had insisted on bringing his own trunk. He was wearing simple jeans with distinct wearing in the knees, a thick black leather belt that still almost wasn't enough to keep his pants up, a lovely reddish grey sweatshirt and a dark brown tee. He wore his usual shoes. Harry was dressed in similar attire while she was decked out in a casual fall jumper with long shorts and mid-calf booties.

"Hello," greeted the man Scott was talking to.

Remembering the traditional greeting, Paige nodded acknowledgement. "Hello," she said.

"This is my supervisor, the head of the team, and also the one who will be teaching this week," Scott said. "This is her family, father and...god...brother..?" Harry nodded, a tired smile on his face.

"Pleasure to meet you all," said the man. "I'm Gregori Swarovsky. My brother is the new head of the famous jewelry line. It has been in the family since it was founded in 1895. Anyways, it's a pleasure to meet you, Ms...?"

"I'm Agatha Paige Black, but prefer Paige. This is my father, Sirius, and my god-brother Harry Potter," she said.

A glimmer of recognition followed Harry's name, but thankfully the man didn't press the matter. "Wonderful. I'm from the Ministry, and I'm here to show you all to your accommodations," he said. "I'm sure you are tired from your long journey. Follow me." The team and their families followed the man to a limousine, which drove them to a squat building that opened up before them to reveal several respectable sized cabins.

"Impressive," Paige said. "Magic never ceases to amaze me." They got settled in then made their way to the main building, where a room was set up for them to have their meetings. As the team and their relatives gathered around, Paige brought out a notebook and passed it to Scott, who promptly enlarged it and set it at the front of the room. "Just gonna teach these guys the basics, really. _Tetio, Prae Incantatem, Alecturo_ (the spell to ensure a true testimony that's also tasteful), and _Juensjae,_ (the spell for sharing the rights of suspects with the, well, suspects). Any questions or should we all just rest for now and maybe begin tonight, if they're up for it?"

"I vote rest," said Scott.

"Rest," said another member. It went around the table, all of them voicing their desire to rest. Gregori nodded.

"Of course. You've all had a long journey. You must all rest. I will let your students know that their lessons begin tonight," he said.

"Thank you," said she. They all returned to their cabins to rest for a few hours in a stationary location.


	61. Chapter 60

Sirius opted to join the lesson that night, watching his daughter teach the German Aurors the spells she and the British team used regularly. Harry was still sleeping when they left.

"First lesson I will be teaching you is _Tetio_ ," she started after introducing herself and fielding the questioning looks from the class. She explained its classification, what it's used for and the effects it has on both the caster and the person it was cast upon. She gave a demonstration, Scott stepping up to be the guinea pig, and there were a few "ooohs." She left him tied up and turned to the students to speak. Beside her the ropes around Scott faded to nothing and he stretched. "You may practice this in pairs. If there's not an even number, try groups of three. If that doesn't work, come see me. Any questions?" A hand went up. "Yes?"

A wizard with a thick German accent said, through a translator, "I think that spell failed. He's not bound anymore."

"Yes," she said. " _Tetio_ will only work while the person its cast on poses a threat. If they no longer pose a threat, the ropes fade, releasing the person they bind. Any other questions?" There was silence. "Great! Partner up, and I'll be by to see your progress. I'll be quizzing you next lesson, and you'll have an exam at the end of the week." There was shuffling around before groups were formed. She watched it all carefully, swooping in and helping where she was needed. By the end of it, they were all casting perfect spells, with very minimal deviation. "Excellent. Next lesson we'll be covering the Patronus Charm. That spell is quite difficult, but you may find it useful in battle against Dementors. I've had a long journey, so I'm still quite weary. I'm going to bed, and bid you all, goodnight. You are, dismissed." She nodded her head slightly, gesturing with her wand toward the door. The class exited, thanking her as they left.  
Scott, Paige, and Sirius all made their way back to their cabins. The father and daughter talked as they made their way back to their accommodations. "You've got skill with teaching," Sirius said.

"Thanks. I'd like to point out though, that when I started my first year and started teaching, I had a very hard time finding my voice. I could barely string a sentence together. It was kinda ridiculous, honestly," she said. She blinked heavily then yawned.

"Well, we all start somewhere," he said kindly, putting an arm around her. "C'mon. Let's get you to bed." He squeezed her gently and she nodded. They reached their cabin and she went to bed.

* * *

The next morning, she awoke and found her students from the night before waiting in the courtyard for their next lesson. Sirius chuckled sleepily before opening the window to get the mail from a somewhat annoyed Hedwig. Paige gave her a small plate of owl cookies to calm her down before reading her mail. It was just one letter, from Professor Dumbledore.

She said this and Harry and Sirius listened intently as she read it aloud.

* * *

 _Dear Paige,_

 _I will completely understand if you don't trust my choice of teacher for next year, but I have confidence in this new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I've seen him become a skilled wizard, overcoming his own obstacles, and I hope that he will live up to the standards you've set with your excellent instruction of the Frontier. I believe that the Frontier may be needed again, but not this year. Perhaps it can be a homework club this year instead, if you approve of his lessons. His name is Remus Lupin, and he is a w-_

She cut herself off briefly before continuing. _-wonderful wizard as I've mentioned above._

 _I hope you, Harry, and Sirius are doing well. Please enjoy yourselves in Germany._

 _Best regards,_

 _Albus Dumbledore_  
 _Hogwarts Headmaster_  
 _Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot_  
 _Order of Merlin -First Class_  
 _Grand Sorcerer_  
 _Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards_

 _P.S. Sorry for the long title. I'm required to sign all letters as such. It can be quite tedious._

* * *

"Well, that was certainly a long-winded title," Sirius joked. It coaxed laughter from both children. "Mind if I read the letter?"

"Well, it was addressed to me, Dad, so..." she said nervously. She couldn't let her father know that she was going to be taught by a werewolf! She had a feeling he'd never allow it and would put up a stink.

"Remus and I are old schoolmates. We graduated the same year as Pettigrew and James. Shared a room with him even."

"Okay, I'm still not sharing this with you." She folded it and put it back in its envelope. "I read it out loud, that should be enough."

He sighed. She got the feeling he knew what she was doing. "Fine," he said. "I'll see you after your lesson." With that, she finished her breakfast, ran to her room, changed, readied herself for another lesson, then headed out the door.

* * *

After teaching her students how to cast a Patronus, and promising them a new spell called _Prae Incantatem_ , she headed home. Harry and the team was out taking in the sights of the town. Sirius was waiting in the living room.

"I know why you didn't let me, you know," he said when she walked in the door. She froze after closing it. "I know Remus is a werewolf."

Her eyes widened. "Uh...I...don't know what you're talking about, Dad," she said.

"I grew up with him. I became an Animagus to keep him company, along with Pettigrew and James," he said. "We were fifteen and wanted to hang out with him more."

Trying not to panic, she calmly walked into her room and changed into more casual clothing.

"I'm serious," her father said.

Unable to resist the temptation, she said, "I know your name is Sirius." He barked a laugh.

"How long have you been waiting to say that one?"

"Long enough." She returned to the living room.


	62. Chapter 61

/AN: Gore Warning!

* * *

While walking around the forests surrounding the quaint little German town in her fox form one day after a lesson, Paige stumbled across an island in the middle of a lake. She spied a bridge and trotted across, curiosity overriding her sense that something was off about the place. She came to a gate and stopped, sitting in the shade of a tall tree.

In a loud voice, a wizard ordered, "Halt where you are!" She tilted her head before looking down at herself briefly. "Are you from the neighboring town?" She stood on her back legs, preparing to shift back into her human form. "STOP!" She froze. The man dropped his voice to a hiss. "Not out on the bridge! Get inside the compound!"

She trotted in, changing behind a wall. "Sorry to bother," she said. "My name is Agatha Paige Black, but everyone just calls me Paige."

"Justin," he said. There was an edginess about him, he was constantly flicking his gaze about, keeping a hand on both his wand and a Muggle gun he had hanging loosely by his side. "You really shouldn't be here, kid."

"Then there shouldn't be a bridge if you don't want curious foxes snooping around," she replied. There was laughter from a nearby hut. A lady in her mid-to-late 40s emerged from the building.

"Well, she has a point there, Justin," she said, her 'j' very soft. What _was_ that accent? A combination of French and American? "Welcome, young Miss Paige, to the Wizards and Witches for the Freedom of Werewolves, more commonly known as the Werewolf Society. I've heard about you and your team. It's amazing the British Ministry would hire someone so young."

"Thank you," she said.

"I'm Sabrina Yugosfe," she said. "I'm originally from America, but my parents are from France and England."

"Wow," Paige said. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sabrina."

"Come! I'll give you a tour." They began to walk. "The huts you see that are reinforced with heavy metals are where our residents live during the full moon. They always have an Animagus companion with them. We've done studies that show it calms their minds and allows them to retain their sanity to a degree." They passed a hut that was old and decrepit. The roof was on the verge of collapse, the walls resembling moldy Swiss cheese, the door frame, what was left of it, was slanted heavily. Deep gouges engraved themselves into the wood and stone nearby. A plaque showed a slightly disfigured young man with two paragraphs in German. "Ah...Yes, that hut."

"What happened here?"

"About thirty years ago, a young man came to us asking for help dealing with the effects of his lycanthropy, his werewolf-ism, you could say. He was with us maybe a year before he decided he liked being a werewolf and went mad when we tried to convince him that it would be nothing but trouble." Sabrina paused, her lower lip quivering, fists clenched in anger. "He tricked us! He made us believe that he had changed his mind about liking being a werewolf. And we believed him. We let a young inexperienced Animagus, a girl named Felicity. He tricked her into staying in her human form when the moon rose." Tears fell from her eyes. "He tore her throat out, he tried to get to everyone else but couldn't. With her dying breath she cast a spell that alerted us to his breakout. We couldn't do anything for her. We dropped the bridge with a quick spell but he swam to the mainland." She wiped her eyes aggressively. "We gave warning as soon as we could, and searched for him. But to no avail. He had already disappeared."

Silence reigned for a pregnant time. Finally, Paige dared ask, her voice faltering briefly, "What is his name?"

"My hope is that he died. Only then will Felicity have peace," Sabrina stated.

Glancing at the plaque once again, Paige spotted a name beneath the picture: _Fenrir Greyback_.

"If you come across him-Come with me," Sabrina said suddenly, grabbing her wrist and dragging the young witch with her. They went to a highly fortified building with smooth white walls. "Leila," Sabrina said. A woman in her late sixties straightened and gave Paige a sympathetic look. Her expression changed when she heard Sabrina fire off rapid German, from sympathy to confusion, then to...curiosity? Determination? A cold fury? What _was_ that expression conveying?

Leila approached Paige suddenly, abruptly cutting off her conversation with Sabrina. She held out her hands, taking the pre-teen's hands in hers. In passable, though slightly broken English, she said, "You find Greyback, you stick him with this needle when you get the chance. End his kill-rage."

"What, you mean like, kill him?" The old woman nodded. "I'm only twelve!" Paige protested.

"There may come a time when you have to end his kill-rage permanently," said Leila forcefully. "Sabrina!" She turned to the young witch and lapsed into German again, tilting her head toward Paige three times. "Take this care package. It will tell you more about us. If you come aycross a werewolf when you return home, let them know of us, and that we have almost perfected a cure. There is a half-chance it will cure, half-chance it will only allow them to control everything, but they will lose their out-of-control mind unless they are angry."

Paige's mind was spinning. "Okay," she said, dazed. Next thing she knew, she was walking with Sabrina toward the front gate.

As though sensing her young companion's whirlwind of thoughts, Sabrina nudged her playfully, causing her to look up. "Sorry about that. If I'd known, I never would have brought you to her," she said.

"It-it's fine," Paige said. "I think I might need to sleep on this, though. Would I be able to leave this with you or Justin and pick it up tomorrow after I've slept on it?"

"How can you sleep on something without it being there? If that's a phrase then it's not a common one here," Sabrina said.

Paige chuckled. "No. It means to think it over thoroughly so I can process fully what I'm going to do or what's being asked of me."

"Oh, okay," Sabrina said. "Yes, I think that would be alright. Justin will be working from now until the weekend. He's a registered Animagus. Just tell him what your decision is and he'll give you the package."

"Alright," she said. They dropped the package off at the gate and Paige shifted into a sparrow to fly away, then deciding to become a crow. Some people shot at her, but she easily avoided them.


	63. Chapter 62

That night, after Harry went to bed, Sirius and Paige sat down to discuss what had transpired that day. She filled him in on what she'd seen and learned.

"As I was leaving, I was told that if I came across Greyback, the guy who they came to realize was a few cards short of a deck, I was to stick him with a syringe full of what I can only assume is his cure and his death. I told them I didn't know how I felt about it, because I'm only twelve," she said. "I was told I could sleep on it, and I don't know what to do or what my answer should be or will be."

Sirius opened his arms and she turned into a fox, cuddling into his arms, taking comfort from him. "If you don't want to, you don't have to. It's up to you," he said. "If you feel you're ready to end someone's life and rampage, then tell them your answer is yes. If not, don't go back."

She gave a tiny bark, forgetting she was in her fox form. Before she could change back, he shifted into his black dog form. She slid off his lap, staring at him in surprise, and he lay down beside her.

 _Told you I was an Animagus,_ he said, wagging his tail. Her own tail wiggled slightly. They sniffed noses and she curled up between his front paws.

 _This feels weird, but not in a bad way,_ she said. He lay his head down on her, nuzzling her lovingly, and she sighed happily. _What do_ you _think I should do?_

 _Knowing me, I'd probably accept and go on the hunt, but since you're still only in your second year at Hogwarts, that's not really an option for you,_ he said. He closed his eyes, flicking his tongue out a couple times before swallowing the small amount of spit he'd gathered in his mouth. The comfort of the couch lured him into sleep's warm arms. She followed not long after.

* * *

The next morning, she woke up and squeezed out from under his neck, accidentally waking him in the process. She darted into the bathroom before Harry got the chance to take more than a step. Sirius stretched and changed back into his human form.

"Morning," he greeted his godson, who was blinking at the bathroom door, behind which the sound of liquid hitting liquid could be heard bubbling.

"Hi," Harry said, scrubbing his eyes underneath his glasses. "Did you two sleep out on the couch?"

"I'd say we did. It's quite comfortable," said he. He stood up and stretched, cracking his back in the process. He yawned, rubbing his own eyes of sleep.

"I heard you guys talking," Harry said. Sirius felt his stomach lurch. How much had he heard?

"Oh?" he said nonchalantly. "What'd you hear?"

"I heard Paige mumbling to you about her adventures here, then she gave a little yip before I didn't hear anything for about five minutes. Then it was just snoring."

"Hear anything in particular?"

"Nah, just mumbling," Harry said. "I peeked out and must have been dreaming because I saw her curled up in the paws of a large black shape."

"That was no dream, Harry. I'm an unregistered Animagus, though I guarantee she'll insist I get registered," Sirius said. Paige left the bathroom, looking freshened up. Harry nipped inside and did his duty. "Sleep well?"

"Like a dream," she said. He chuckled. From the bathroom they could hear Harry groan.

"That was a bad pun! You take that back!" he called.

"Oh stop whining, Harry. You've said worse!" Paige replied. "Besides, you _know_ there are far worse puns."

"Oh, god. Please don't!"

Sirius watched this exchange both amused and curious. "What's this about?"

"Don't make her say them, Sirius! You'll regret it!" yelled Harry. "The puns she's talking about are bad enough they'd make Voldemort cringe his way out of existence."

Sirius flinched at that name. "Well, then it might not be a bad idea to know them," he said.

"Okay," Paige said. "But I do have to warn you, they are pretty bad. I heard three, but only remember 2 of them."

"Let's hear em," her father said.

"Okay. Who was bigger, Mr. Bigger, or his son?" she asked.

From behind the bathroom door, Harry howled, "No!"

A knock sounded on the door. Scott entered. "You telling him those puns that made everyone groan and bury their heads?" he asked. She nodded. "I'll warn the team." He left and called a warning.

"So who's bigger, the father or the son?" Sirius asked.

"His son. He was-"

"Stop right there! Don't go any further! Please!" Harry begged.

"His son was a little Bigger," Paige said. Harry was quiet.

"That wasn't as bad as I expected," he admitted.

"Agh," Sirius said, before laughing. "That was painful, but not overly bad. I found it kinda funny. If they're all like that, then we might make You Know Who laugh himself out of existence."

"Well the second one is actually kinda bad," Paige said. "Harry, brace for the dog magician one."

"Paige, I swear if you say that one-" Harry warned.

"Let's hear it," Sirius said, leaning forward slightly. From behind the door, Paige and he heard Harry mutter "oh my god."

"What does the dog magician say?"

"I don't know. What does he say?"

"Labracadabra," she said. Harry hit the door with something. Sirius cringed at the joke but still laughed.

"I don't know if they're honestly funny or if it's just because I've gone so long without laughter," he said.

"I could tell you a whole series of rants I've made about Lockhart to Professor Snape that made him howl with laughter. I literally left one detention with him crying from laughter. He had his head in his arms on his desk, sobbing from the hilarity of my opinions on Lockhart," she said.


	64. Chapter 63

After teaching the class _Prae Incantatem_ , delivering her answer to the Werewolf Society, and going the rest of the week with a hypodermic needle full to the brim with a strange greenish-brown solution (they had told her how to assemble the needle itself, which came in 3 pieces: chamber, needle in protective case, and plunger end), Paige, Harry, and Sirius were finally on their way home, taking the three and a half-day trip in stride. Paige, tired from her teaching and marking, slept most of the way.

Sirius shook her awake when the train stopped in London. "Wakey-wakey. We're almost home," he murmured. She had been napping blissfully in her fox form, nose and tail twitching with her dream. She opened her eyes and yawned, stretching before yawning again and rising to her feet. She shifted into her human form and they grabbed their luggage before disembarking. Scott was taking over the team while she was in school, which suited her just peachy. She knew she had had a hard time balancing stuff at Hogwarts, but to learn, possibly teach, and then _also_ have to lead a team of investigators while getting good sleep, grades, and having a healthy social life was probably akin to drawing and quartering someone. "Sleep well?"

"It was lovely, but I could still do with another nap," she said.

"That's all you've _been_ doing since we went on that trip," Harry grumbled.

Sirius and Paige looked at him. "Then maybe next time you can help me teach, and mark, and explore, and take on behemoth tasks, and ensure that the alliance between the British and German Ministries is as strong as ever," she snapped. "Sorry if doing all that leaves me exhausted, but I'm only twelve, and shouldn't have _had_ to teach everyone and do Lockhart's job for him!"

"Hey, hey, you two. Simmer down," Sirius said. He gave them both scolding looks and Paige glanced away, nipping off with their bag.

They arrived and went to their separate bedrooms, taking time apart from each other.

* * *

A few days later, Sirius, Paige and Harry stood in Kings Cross, waiting for an all clear from the wizard disguised as station personnel.

"Remember to run at the wall," Sirius said quietly to them.

"You mean remember to abandon all sense of logic and take on a sense of reckless abandon, run full force at a brick wall and hope for the best," Paige said dryly. Sirius laughed.

"I get the feeling you said something similar last year," he said.

"I wasn't sure about anything and was still processing everything," she said. Harry rolled his eyes and ran at the wall when the wizard nodded. He passed through and disappeared. Ron and the rest of the Weasleys followed suit until Molly and Arthur were left standing on the platform.  
Paige took a deep breath and closed her eyes before the wizard nodded and Sirius nudged her, sending her running toward the bricks.

"Little left, miss," she heard before adjusting her course and feeling a strange almost curtain-like sensation wash over her. She opened her eyes and pushed her cart out of the way just as Sirius passed through with Arthur and Molly. They were all leaning against the wall nonchalantly, so she guessed that due to the time restraints they had passed through it another way.

Sirius found Harry and Paige, the former being chatted to animatedly by Ron and Hermione. He gave Paige a hug before she nipped onto the train. She had been reading the _Encyclopedia_ that morning, wanting to learn all she could about werewolves from somewhere other than Lockhart's mad ramblings. She knew she had the starter kit from the Werewolf Society still, but she had a feeling it was highly biased, so she went to a source she knew wouldn't be as biased, because, what does a book care if a creature or person was dangerous?

She peeked into a few compartments before finding one with a man sitting in it already. _Remus J. Lupin (werewolf)_ read the script at the bottom.

 _Helloo, Professor,_ she thought to herself. She heard Harry coming down the hall and, not wanting a confrontation in front of a teacher, nipped off to find another compartment. She found one with a girl in it. _Luna Lovegood_ read the nametag. "Hello. May I share a compartment with you?"

"Sure," said Luna. "My name's Luna. Who are you?"

"I'm Paige Black," said she.

"Sirius' daughter?" She nodded. "My father says that your father isn't really named Sirius, but uses that as an alias so he can perform amazing songs."

Paige laughed. "Well, I'll be sure to pass that thought along. I'm sure it'll give my Dad a laugh." She settled in and a couple of other students joined them before she tucked into her reading.


	65. Chapter 64

About ten hours into their journey, Paige felt an almost icy chill steal over her. She shivered and glanced outside, fully expecting to see the window frosted over and a blanket of snow four feet deep. Seeing none of that she glanced at her _Encyclopedia_ as a ripple of darkness raced across the pages and the information on werewolves and lycanthropy was replaced with the words, "Dementor Detected In the Area. Recommended Spell: Patronus Charm." Her blood ran cold as fear settled in, all but snuffing out her hope. The door to the compartment opened an inch and a black skeletal hand wrapped around the wood.

* * *

 _She was three years old, playing in the yard, making rocks bounce off trees, and leaves turn into little animals to complete the little farm she had created. Suddenly the ground began to rumble and tremble. She shrugged it off assuming it was just a big rock that she was bringing up from the depths. Next thing she knew, large thick frond-like structures picked her up and she was whipped around to stare a massive, ginormous spider in the many eyes.  
_

 _"Hello, little snack," it hissed. She did what came naturally. She shrieked._

* * *

She sat back gasping, fighting off the panic that raced through her. Nunu was on her chest, hissing and snarling at the black figure. _P-patronus! Get your Patronus out NOW!_ she thought frantically. _Happy thoughts! Find your happy place!_

She squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out all visual stimuli. The memory came back to her of the sunny day with her mother. She swung her wand around. " _Expecto Patronum!_ " she cried. Her little weasel sprang forth, charging at the Dementor, which flinched back briefly, giving them a slight reprieve. She drew her weasel back to her. " _Protego Dimo!_ " A sphere of silver light surrounded her, preventing the Dementor from attacking them and allowing her to gather her thoughts.

From somewhere up the hall she could hear Harry and several others screaming. Turning to address the Dementor before her, she calmly said, "No one on this train is knowingly or willingly harboring Peter Pettigrew. Please leave, by order of the Ministry of Magic." It didn't move. "I said, leave! This spell can be expanded at will. Unless you want to leave through the window, get off the train through the doors to the outside." A bright silvery cloud chased another Dementor out of another compartment. The Dementors looked at each other, then at her through her shield, and fled. Instantly the warmth seemed to return to the carriage.

She leaned back in. "You guys okay?" They nodded, pale and shaky. "I'll be right back, I'm just going to check on everyone." They nodded again and she walked to the compartment where Harry was. He was slumped over, glasses slightly askew. She cast a spell on him that would ease his fears. Unconscious, his face relaxed and he blinked slowly, a soft, almost happy smile on his face. Then he saw her and quickly glanced away.

"Thanks," he muttered.

"Don't thank me. I didn't cast that Patronus. I cast _a_ Patronus, but not the one that chased away your Dementor," she said. "I just calmed your mind."

"He's the one who cast the Patronus," Hermione piped up, pointing at Lupin.

"Hermione, it's rude to point. Basic manners," Paige said teasingly. The other girl blushed a deep crimson. Turning to Lupin, Paige nodded and extended a hand.

"Thank you for chasing off that Dementor, Professor. I'm Paige, daughter of Sirius."

"Not a problem, Paige," he said, shaking her offered hand. "I was told a lot about you by Albus. A few things that seem a bit off the wall, but still within the realm of possibility. Is it true you taught everyone at Hogwarts last year?"

"Well, not _everyone_ but most people at the end of the year. Would you like the list of spells I taught them?"

"Sure, if you've got it." She nipped back to her compartment when the train lurched forward. She fell but Lupin grabbed the back of her shirt. He steadied her and she thanked him again before rummaging through her bag to retrieve the scroll. She opened it to confirm that it was up-to-date and accurate before nodding and passing it to him.

"If it's green with a tick it means we've covered it entirely, theory, written, oral, and practical, and took an exam on it. Orange means we touched on it with theory only, but didn't do oral or practical, and if it's black it means we didn't touch on it at all." He looked at the scroll for a while, grabbing the hand holds when the train jumped around wildly as it passed over the small gap between two adjoining rails.

"Might I just mention that that test was _mean_!" commented an annoyed Hermione when she noticed Lupin looking at the only orange words with concern on his face.

"If you're talking about the test on the Unforgiveable Curses, I _did_ warn you that if you wrote the spells themselves you would not pass. If you want to learn the spells on your own, fine. All the power to you. I'm not going to mark someone right when we didn't cover it in class. Besides. You still passed that test, Hermione."

"I did _not_!" howled Hermione. "A 60 is not a pass!"

"Yes, it is," Harry and Paige said.

"Do you remember your Muggle education, Hermione?" Paige continued.

The bushy-haired girl huffed and grumbled as she sat down hard on her seat, Crookshanks giving her and something else a dirty look. Lupin looked up briefly, glancing between the two girls before smirking, chuckling and resuming his reading.

"I'm guessing if it doesn't have a tick beside it it wasn't on an exam?" Paige nodded. He finished his reading then rolled up the scroll with a quick spell before passing it to her. "I'm quite interested in teaching your students this year, Paige."

"Thank you, Professor Lupin," she said, shaking hands with him again. They went their separate ways.


	66. Chapter 65

After getting everything up to their dorms, Paige sat at the Slytherin table kind of excited about beginning a new year. She hoped Lupin would be a better teacher than Lockhart. _Couldn't be worse,_ she thought to herself.

After introductions were out of the way, Paige heard a bit of snickering around the table by some of the Slytherin boys, Draco among them.

"Can you _believe_ how shabbily dressed he is?" whispered one boy.

Draco giggled and replied, "Yeah. What was he thinking wearing those rags to teach?"

Deciding it's better to be glared at by classmates and housemates than homicidal teachers, Paige stepped in. "Don't judge someone by their appearance, Draco. You seem plenty strong enough on your own, but I've heard you hide behind your father's name before on multiple occasions," she said.

"So?" snapped he, still keeping his voice below a murmur. "It works and people don't pester me afterwards."

"Well, when they realize you're all bark no bite they might get worse," she commented just as Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat, giving them a half glance before bringing the meal forth. The smell of pot roast hit her nose and she knew that Biddy was back at Hogwarts, cooking. She took a generous helping of meat, sweet potatoes with butter, some broccoli with creamy sauce, and some asparagus for some variety. She felt Draco cut her a glare before settling into his own meal.

Afterwards, they all went their separate ways to their respective dorms. Paige settled into bed before her Dad's voice cut through the sleep that was just patting her head.

"Paige," he said. She sat up and looked around, confused beyond belief. He chuckled. "Check your trunk. I put a package there." She did as he asked and found a mirror wrapped in a kerchief. Her father was sitting in an arm chair. He grinned when he saw her. "Getting ready for bed?"

"Uh...Yeah," she said, bewildered as to how this worked. "Is this...like a Muggle telephone?"

"Something like that," he said. "How was your trip?"

"Good. We had a bit of a Dementor issue, but Professor Lupin and I both cast a Patronus, chasing them away," she replied. "I'd rather not say what I said to them for a couple reasons. I'll go for a bit of a walk to tell you as I really don't fancy talking about it in front of my housemates."

"Ah...Your summer job?" he guessed. She nodded. "Don't worry about it. I can imagine what you said. How did everyone else do?"

"Harry was attacked, probably because of what happened to his parents and his early life with the Dursleys," she said. Sirius' eyes wrinkled with concern. His face had filled out a bit since he came home. He was nowhere near a healthy body weight, but he was recovering. She yawned, covering her mouth with a polite hand.

"You should get some rest," said Sirius. "You've got a big day tomorrow. Goodnight my little foxikune." She grinned, propping the mirror against her pillow before turning into a fox and flashed her teeth in an approximation of a grin, flattening her ears slightly. She turned back into a human. "Goodnight, Dad," she said. She saw the mirror return to its familiar reflective sheen. She set it on her nightstand, Nunu sniffing it curiously before settling into the crook of her arms, purring like mad.

Everyone snuffed out their candles and went to sleep.


	67. Chapter 66

After Paige asked and received _The Chrysalids_ , she plowed through it, eager to know what had so gripped her father and mother. She and Harry were discussing it one day after she had loaned it to him and he'd read it, though he told her Hermione nabbed it from him and read it aloud to everyone, so many people were buzzing about it.

Nick nudged her in the hallways, jarring her from her thoughts. "Ready for class?" he asked. She blinked at him, a questioning look on her face. "Professor Lupin, genius! We have Defense next." She instantly turned a crimson red. "Relax. People forget stuff all the time." He chuckled and nipped into the classroom.

She sighed with relief, hoping that his statement meant he hadn't caught on to the fact that she was woefully crushing on a man her father's age.

It wasn't that he was a looker (he left a lot to be desired in the hair and face department), but his personality, cheeky but still subdued, as he taught them Defense Against the Dark Arts, still made her heart flutter about like a bird in a cage when he so much as was in the same room.

To her horror, Harry had figured it out, though thankfully he'd promised to keep his mouth shut about it. After lessons that day, they bumped into each other.

"Harry, we need to talk," she said.

"We do," he said. "I haven't told anyone."

She chuckled. "Thank you, but I was wondering if you'd like to work on creating a spell with me," she said.

"Wait, what?" he said. "Seriously?"

"Yes," came her response. "I've got an idea for a communication spell that will allow us to communicate with anyone in the school at our discretion. Thoughts?"

Harry was silently contemplating this. "It sounds brilliant, Paige, but won't it take a while to figure out all the research?" he asked.

"That's why I'm glad I don't have to worry as much about the Frontier. It'll still meet when needed, but for the most part, it won't be teaching, but helping with homework," she said. "If my memory serves me right, First, Second, and Third years don't have as much homework as the Fourth year and onward. I've got a meeting with Professor Dumbledore in a couple minutes to run this idea by him."

"C'n I come?"

"Sure." She looked at her wristwatch. "Time to go." She dumped her stuff into thin air, causing him to stop and stare. He ran after her, grabbing her arm. "C'mon, Harry, we're going to be late!"

"Where did you drop your stuff at? It just disappeared!" She breathed deeply through her nose in a long-suffering manner before pulling out a wand, waving it, and revealing several tiny waves of air. Nunu stuck her head out of one sleepily, churred, then slipped back in. He ripped that one open, earning a dirty look from the cat, who was curled up peacefully snoozing next to a rain-spattered window on a lovely green and silver cushion. "Okay, explain," he demanded after closing it.

She gave him a wink. "Just wait till Professor Dumbledore's meeting. He'll learn about this too," she said mischievously.

A few minutes later, Paige and Harry sat before the Headmaster, who was looking back and forth between them with a bemused expression. Both children sat before him with different expressions: one bored, yet calm, the other cutting glares.

"What did you want to speak to me about, Paige?" asked the Headmaster.

"Two things: one, I've created a new spell that allows you to carry or request hundreds of pounds of weight of items anywhere, any time," she said, waving a wand and revealing the wavy lines, which now had tags above them, stating their uses and contents.

 _One rather grumpy, frumpy, and tattered American Wirehair cat,_ read one, shortly followed by Nunu poking her head out again, her body still completely invisible.

"Chrrr," creaked the cat before movement from Fawkes caused her look up at the phoenix, who regarded her with an eye.

Both familiars stared at each other, Nunu chattering to herself, though he was very much within her jumping height. She was frustrated because she knew if she caught him he'd likely burst into flames, which would hurt her paws.

Paige cleared her throat, breaking the tension in the room. "And the second thing I'd like to run by you is a spell idea," she said. "Inspired by this book, which has the concept spelled out in rather simple terms." She held out her mother's beloved book. Professor Dumbledore passed it back and went over to his own bookshelf. A similarly battered version of the same book was pulled from between two massive encyclopedias.

"I know well the book you speak of. It's one of my favourites," he said. "If you'd like, you and Harry may take the notes and research I've gathered and create the spell."

At first she thought she'd misheard. Take his research notes? "Are you sure, Professor?" she asked.

"In exchange for the spell you're using for storing your books, cauldrons, ink and quills, and you cat," he said. She grinned and handed over the paper she had it written on. She tapped it with her wand and it was broken down into its phonetic components.

"Upon death, anything in the pockets is spilled out onto the ground around you, though I don't believe that anything on your person will be revealed," she said. "For obvious reasons, I haven't tested this. Not really keen on testing it, personally." They chuckled at that. After answering a few more questions, Professor Dumbledore went over to his cupboard and opened it, lifting the pensieve off its pedestal. He set it off to the side and lifted the lid of the pedestal, revealing a small plain wooden box. He opened it and showed them the contents. A sizable stack of papers sat inside with a stoppered bottle of ink with large clumps of said ink staining the outside. He closed the box and handed it to Harry, who took it reverently. "Remember to share the burden," Dumbledore cautioned. "Creating a spell is no small feat. It will test you to the very brink of sanity at times. You will both have your times of doubt, your fights, and your accomplishments. But-" He held up a finger as he sat down. "-Creating a spell can be very rewarding. And when you finish creating that spell, you'll feel worn out, tired, kind of grumpy, but very, very exuberant." He smiled at them, his blue eyes flicking between them kindly. "It's late. You two should go to bed. Get some rest. It's the weekend tomorrow, and if you decide to go to Hogsmeade this weekend Harry, you'll need to be up early to go with the class." Dumbledore's voice took on a cautionary tone. "If, however, you decide to stay here on a Hogsmeade weekend, you will not be able to join the rest of the students at any point until they return."


	68. Chapter 67

"Paige," Professor Lupin said, jarring her from her thoughts. "I'd like to speak with you after class." A few people "Ooohhh'd" but most just gave her concerned looks.

"You're not in trouble, I'd just like to speak with you."

"Oh, okay," she said.

The lesson began on Bogarts. She had to almost physically restrain herself from grabbing the Encyclopedia and reading up on them. The thought of knowing what she was getting into was so overwhelmingly tempting she almost gave in, sitting on her knuckles instead. Everyone rose when Professor Lupin requested them to, and waved his wand, making the desks disappear except for the back row, where Nunu and a couple other Familiars were stubbornly refusing to move.

Lupin explained how to defeat a bogart and indicated a now thrashing trunk. One by one, they formed a line, her being last in case the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach was correct.

"Professor," she said when she was half way through the line. He looked at her, curiosity shining in his eyes. "Bogarts don't happen to take on the form of your deepest darkest fears, do they?"

He nodded. "That's what I said at the beginning of class, Paige," he said. A few people who resented her over the whole Lockhart incident snickered.

"Can I sit this one out? I...I don't think I'm ready to face my worst fear," she said, shame burning her face.

"Scaredy cat," said one of the girls quietly. She lowered her eyes and moved to the back of the classroom.

Professor Lupin had heard the comment, however, and asked the girl to move to the front of the line. Paige didn't even look up to see the girl who commented nearly pee herself from fright before another classmate stood to take her place.

After class, everyone filtered out, leaving Paige and Lupin. She had taken to sitting at the desk, distracting herself by playing with Nunu, scrubbing her ears, chin, back, and scalp. The volume Nunu was purring at was near deafening.

Lupin cleared his throat, bringing her back to present.

He leaned against the desk, looking at her as her ears burned. Nunu rubbed against her, making her embarrassment subside.

"So how are you adjusting?" he asked her. She blinked and looked up at him.

"Pretty good. It's a huge relief to not have to do your job for a change," she said. He chuckled.

"I can imagine," he said. "Do you have any suggestions for any improvements?"

She thought for a minute. "Maybe every now and again tell us a funny story to tie into the lesson?" she suggested. "That's something I did when I taught them toward the end of last year. Either telling a funny story, joke, or a riddle of some description."

His eyes lit up. He grinned. "I know just the story to tell," he said. Looking at his watch, he tapped it with a finger. "Not long till supper now; you'd best be getting along." She thanked him and grabbed Nunu before nipping off.

* * *

The next day, on her way to class, Fred and George where whooping with laughter. Then they spotted her and motioned her over. "Your mother is amazing!" they cried before heading off to their own lessons. "Oh that legend!"

Curious, Paige headed into her own lesson, and sat down. Professor Lupin greeted them and announced a new technique he was going to try. "I'm going to tell you all about a Ravenclaw student called The Prankster," he said. Instantly, everyone leaned forward, interest instantly taken.

* * *

(-PAST(Adrienna's POV)-)

* * *

The night had finally come. She had been working on this for almost two years. She pulled out her rucksack and slung it over her shoulder, casting a Disillusionment charm over herself. She had gotten good enough with it to almost completelt disappear, leaving nothing but a shadow. She had even turned her bag invisible. Everything was ready. She snuck out of bed and into the boy's dorm. She hung there first round of prank items, angling them so there would be maximum fright. She left the Ravenclaw common room and snickered to herself. She had memorized the Gryffindor password, and knew the Fat Lady was going to be sleeping. She went to Gryffindor last, though, sneaking to Slytherin first. She set everything up, making sure to only prank the boys. She had to bite back a giggle when she say Lucius cuddling with a teddy.

After hitting Hufflepuff, she finally headed for Gryffindor. She came up to the Fat Lady, drank a Polyjuice potion with some of Sirius' hair that she's found after an intense cuddling session they'd had. She gave the password and snuck in. She pranked every room with a boy in it, coming across Sirius and friends last. Remus woke up and looked at her. She froze.

"Sirius? What's up?" he asked groggily.

"Just had a nightmare," she whispered, hoping against all odds that James and Peter were heavy sleepers. "Just gonna walk it off. I'll be careful."

"Oh, okay. Night," he said rolling over and dropping off to sleep again. She sighed with relief quietly, then setup Sirius' prank item, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. The moonlight filtering through the window showed his face gently crack into a smile. Then, she crept out and back to Ravenclaw for a few hours sleep. The entirety of her prank relied on very heavy sleepers, and a small spell here and there wouldn't hurt, would it?

The next morning, just before dawn, she woke, dressed, and crept out to the Entrance Hall, ready to bear witness to the fruits of her labour. The first shrieks came from Slytherin, followed by the others. She snickered and went to "investigate."


	69. Chapter 68

A/N:  
I tried to find out who was Head of Ravenclaw when the Marauders were in school but I only found two Heads of House for Ravenclaw: Rowena Ravenclaw and Professor Flitwick. Since Rowena would likely have been long since dead, having an adult daughter who has been around Hogwarts for a fair number of years, I had to either make something up or go with the known. I prefer to add a certain level of realism to my writings, so Professor Flitwick taught the Marauders too!

* * *

When she arrived at Ravenclaw tower, several panicked boys were hurling spells over their shoulders, trying to destroy whatever was a perceived threat. Professor Flitwick hurried in, pajamas snapping around him as he ran. Two boys were crying, huddled in a corner.

"What is the meaning of this at such an ungodly hour?!" he demanded. Unable to form coherent sentences due to the early hour and their sudden wake up call, the boys all just pointed at their dormitory. Grumbling to himself, Professor Flitwick huffed up the stairs, giving a little yelp when he saw the dummy at the foot of the bed nearest him. He grabbed it off the bed, where it was hung, carried it to the Common Room where she had to strangle herself for fear of incriminating herself due to her laughter. She clamped a hand over her mouth tightly. The four pieces that made up the dummy were a wire coat hanger, a light, white wooden Halloween mask from the convenience store near her home, a very flimsy dark grey sheer shawl, and the hands from an anatomy skeleton she had found while rummaging in the rubbish bin after her day of schoolwork when she was about eight. It had taken two remarkably simple spells to replicate the dummy with sounds enough times to hit every boy. "Does anyone know anything about this?"

There were various head shakes, a couple of "uh-uh's", and a few "nopes."

She lied and said, "Haven't the foggiest, Professor." It was a partial truth. She didn't have the foggiest clue, she knew with clarity. He stared hard at her, but then he did so with everyone else too.

She had been extremely careful in deciding which gender to prank. The funny thing about Hogwarts, is that girls alone can go into girls dormitories, while both can go into the boys. By choosing the boys to prank, she not only gave herself an opportunity to see Sirius in his most vulnerable state, but also made everyone a suspect.

Someone noticed her snickering behind her hand. "Why're you laughing? We could have been killed!" he snapped.

"By a cheap, hastily thrown-together scarecrow? I think not," she said dryly. There was a smattering of chuckles at her words. "I'm laughing because I heard frightened screams coming from all the houses while I was out on my early morning walk, starting with Slytherin, and now seeing what scared everyone, I'm finding it entertaining to think of the Slytherin boys shrieking with fright at this thing." She poked it and its eyes lit up, a spell activating to give off a strange mutilated gurgling, guttural laugh. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to check on my boyfriend to make sure he's alright." The boy blinked. "Good day and I'll see you in Defense."

She was able to keep quiet about the whole thing until just before lunch when she and Sirius were standing next to each other in Potions. When they were mixing their cauldrons, him somewhat awkwardly as they were both right-handed, they discussed their views on the prank. They had opted to hold hands while mixing as it allowed them to show their affections without being to overly-grabby.

"I think it was bloody brilliant, and I'd have found it more entertaining if I'd been in on it, but I nearly pissed myself when Peter woke us up with his loud hyperventilating," he said. She smiled to herself, giving a small snicker. He looked at her, stopping his mixing. "What's that snicker about?"

"Oh, nothing," she said. He set his ladle against the side, releasing her hand as he turned to look at her.

"You knew this was coming, and you didn't try to deter the person responsible?" he said, or rather yelled. She flinched and looked around nervously at the eyes that now rested on the couple.

Unable to stand the stares, she sheepishly held out her hands and said, "It wasn't supposed to hurt anyone. It was meant as a way to show James just what a prank should always be: carefully planned, cheap to make and replicate, and make enough noise to let everyone know not to mess with you."

"Wait, wait. _You_ were behind this?" She nodded. Sirius encircled his forehead in his hands, slicking his hair back from his face, turning away as he puffed his cheeks out. Everyone else took the opportunity to crowd her, backing her against the wall. Thankfully, before anything could happen, Professor Slughorn put a call in to Professor Dumbledore.

"Albus, you might want to come down to the Potions class. We found out who did the prank," the Potions teacher said.

"I'll be down shortly. Keep her there," said the Headmaster. The bell sounded, signalling the end of class and beginning of lunch. Slughorn disappeared into his office briefly.

Remus came to her rescue when the other students ganged up on her. He put himself between her and the increasingly angrier mob.

"Just you wait till the Dark Lord hears about this! You'll never see the light of day again!" threatened one Slytherin boy.

"Dude! The Headmaster's gonna be here soon, and you're _threatening_ her?" Severus said. "Yeah it was a mean thing to do, but I highly doubt she meant harm to befall anyone." She gave him a quick smile when he looked at her. Before anyone could say anything else, Professor Dumbledore entered the room, scattering everyone and sending them to lunch.

"Adrienna," said the Headmaster warmly. "I had figured it was you." Guilt chewed at her, making her eyes sting. "Don't worry about her, Remus. She'll be alright. And let Sirius know that too, when he asks." The Gryffindor boy nodded, squeezing her shoulder supportively before darting out of the room.

After getting a detention, which she would be serving with Mr. Filch, she headed off to lunch, though she didn't feel hungry. Her stomach was in knots. She didn't know if Sirius was angry with her, or if he'd end their two year relationship. They'd been together long enough she had no idea what to do if he broke up with her. He'd become such an important part of her personality, giving her that cheeky sense of humor they both loved, that without him, to have him as an ex-boyfriend was overwhelming.


	70. Chapter 69

A/N:  
Remus isn't actually telling the class that he's a werewolf, it's just something told from Adrienna's viewpoint, so adding it in simply ties it all together in a neat little bow. For the sake of the story he's telling the class, he says that she knew he wore Muggle women's clothing when not in school. Easier to explain than "Not all werewolves are dangerous just be cautious around the full moon."

* * *

After retreating from the hostile glares from many of the boys, the most hurtful coming from Sirius' friends (with the exception of Remus), Adrienna went to the one place she knew she could hide: the Library. There, amongst the ledgers, reference guides, encyclopedias, and textbooks, she found a lone window away from everyone where she could sit and read. She pulled out her beloved book _The Chrysalids_ , but found she couldn't focus on the words. She kept replaying the Potions scene where Sirius had turned away from her, leaving Remus to rescue her. By now, she knew he was a werewolf, having figured it out through the patterns of his illness, some features, and she'd overheard him joking with his friends about it as she'd approached Sirius for a cuddle.

She put her book away, staring out the window at the dreary day. Thick fog rolled around the grounds, giving the whole place the look of a classic haunted mansion. As she was studying the outside world, the rain started to fall. She heard movement behind her.

She turned and caught the disgusted, furious looks of some Slytherin boys just before one of them muttered, "C'mon, mates. Let's get out of here. This place reeks of eagle droppings."

"Leave my girlfriend alone," growled a low voice. Sirius appeared around the corner, Remus, Peter, and James in tow. The Slytherins gave her a vicious glare before the four Gryffindor boys stepped into their line of view, Peter somewhat unwillingly. The three boys left, leaving the Ravenclaw with the four Gryffindor boys. Sirius nudged her hip and she scooted closer to her feet, something she'd grown used to doing when they were together in private. Sirius put his arms around her. "Sorry for leaving you," he murmured into her ear, his voice as soft as a cloud, but as warm as the sun.

Tears clogged her throat. "What do you mean?" she croaked out. Salty rivers hung on her lashes.

"In Potions. I should have stayed and protected you, instead of..." he sighed and, as if on cue, the other boys hopped up onto a nearby table, Remus remaining standing, leaning against the table while watching the couple in the window. "...leaving you to fend for yourself in a hostile environment."

"Oh," she said, swallowing. "I thought you meant you were going to break up with me." He jumped to his feet.

"What? No! Never," he said gently, lifting her chin to look at him. His deep eyes were so comforting, so...loving, that she couldn't help but hug him, rising to her feet as she did so. He held her so tight, she knew they would be alright.

After a few minutes James broke the touching moment. "So... would you mind giving us some advice for pranking?" he asked hopefully.

She laughed. "Sure. Take notes because it's actually simple but easily forgettable, unless you're a Ravenclaw or have long memory, which double qualifies me as I have both," she said. Sirius held her head against his chest, rocking back and forth. "Just remember to carefully plan everything out, and prepare for the unlikely. Someone a light sleeper? Learn a spell that can be cast non-verbally that guarantees they'll stay asleep as long as you need or want them to. Have a familiar that makes a load of ruckus? Bring treats or learn a silencing spell other than _Silencio_ as that only works as long as you have your wand pointed at the source of the noise. Nosey neighbors? Cast the Disillusionment Charm on yourself. Always over prepare for your pranks. It's better to be over prepared than not prepared at all."


	71. Chapter 70

(Present Day)

His eyes sparkling at the memory, Professor Lupin continued, "Still have the damn thing too! Adrienna vanished the ones people requested, but allowed me to keep mine so I could look back and reminisce." He went over to a mass of tattered cloth and picked up a wire coat hanger with a white skull and bony hands.

"Rrah!" it croaked before the voice gurgled and stopped. The eyes still glowed eerily for a brief spell after the voice stopped before shutting off.

"You guys were scared of _that_ ," laughed a Ravenclaw girl.

"Hey now," Paige said before Lupin could speak. "If you've ever woken up from a pleasant dream and been spooked by a strange shadow, you've nothing to laugh at. I've gotten you with a flower once!" There was a smattering of strangled laughter and the girl turned almost purple from embarrassment.

Lupin looked up, startled as the bell rang, signalling the end of class. "Oops! Didn't intend for that to take as long as it did. Sorry, everyone!" he called sheepishly as they filtered through the doors. Paige pulled out her _Encyclopedia_ and murmured to the cover before opening and copying some notes on a creature that resembled the old shoddily made scarecrow. She walked up to Professor Lupin, handed her notes to him, then left without a word.

She could hear him take a couple steps forward before stopping. She turned and he was looking at her with confusion and curiosity.

"It's a good story, and there's something to tie it together," she said. "I'd recommend checking them out if you've not heard of them." She gave him a wink then headed off to Potions.


	72. Chapter 71

A few days later, Paige sat in the library, surrounded by large stacks of books for her and Harry to read through and work on completing the spell Professor Dumbledore started. She looked at the notes compiled by the Headmaster and took out her _Encyclopedia_ before putting it away. It would be far too easy. What good would it do for her to just speak it to the book? Where would the rewarding experience be?

She'd been so proud of herself when she completed the relatively simple pocket spell. She'd actually been scolded for shouting and celebrating in the library when she created her first pocket. Nunu had gotten curious and jumped into it immediately. She remembered her Familiar poking her head out and churring for attention, which came in the form of an ear scratch.

To take a shortcut to get to a feeling was cheating, plain and simple. _Besides_ , she reasoned. _This will give Harry and I a chance to start bridging the gap between Slytherin and Gryffindor, though the Frontier seems to be helping with that a lot too._

Someone tapped her shoulder, bringing her back to the present. She looked up and found Harry, Ron, and Hermione looking at her. "We're heading off to Hogsmeade this weekend, so I figured we could get a head start before the weekend," Harry said. "Ron and Hermione asked if they could help."

She hesitated before speaking. "I was hoping it'd be something we created together so Professor Snape wouldn't pester you as much. Don't say he doesn't!" she hissed when he opened his mouth. "I've overheard him giving you a detention for no real reason. Malfoy was being a right little sod, and he could do with being in a good old fashion duel with fisticuffs instead of magic." She snorted as Ron and Hermione giggled. Scabbers poked his head groggily out of Ron's robes before giving a rather loud squeak and darting away from Crookshanks, who pounced upon seeing the rat.

"Crookshanks get back here!" Hermione scolded while Ron ran after his rodent.

"Bloody little blighter's always trying to make a meal out of Scabbers. Keeps making attempts everywhere," Ron growled. He turned to Paige. "You can turn into animals, right?" She nodded. "Mind figuring out this dumbasses problem?"

"Sure, I'll try," she said. She turned into her fox form and jumped up on the table.

 _"Oh, please keep me safe! Don't let Fluff Face get me!"_ Scabbers yipped.

 _"Shut yer wee pip, ya treacherous shithole!"_ hissed Crookshanks.

 _"Well, that language is a bit extreme,"_ Paige commented. _"What's this about, Crookshanks?"_

 _"The Boney One, he be a dead man walkin,"_ snarled the cat. Before she could ask what he meant he wriggled free of Hermione's hands. _"Git back 'ere!"_

 _"Ahhh!"_ Scabbers screamed as he ran for cover, nipping into a small hole that the larger cat couldn't squash himself into.

Paige sighed and turned back into her human form. Ron was knelt by the hole, holding Crookshanks back rather roughly by the back of his neck. "What was that about?" Harry asked.

"I dunno," she replied. "Scabbers is scared, understandably so, but Crookshanks wouldn't give me a straight answer, at least not one that I could understand. All he said was Scabbers is a dead man walking. Didn't get a chance to ask further before ol' Fluff Butt here squirmed free."

Hermione took Crookshanks from Ron's borderline unkind grasp. "I wonder what that means," she said softly.

"You know bloody well what that flea bag of yours means," Ron snapped. "He's full on feral by this point. Unable to get along with other Familiars."

"Nunu," called Paige. The Wirehair poked her head out then hopped up on the table. She and Crookshanks regarded each other before the two cats rubbed cheeks then down along their sides, curling trembling tails. "They get along great, actually. I think it's partly because Crookshanks might be half-kneazle."

"What the bloody shit is a kneazle? Ron asked heatedly.

"A kneazle is a magical creature that is often mistaken for a pet due to their resemblance to cats," Paige said when Hermione's surprised clueless expression said she didn't know what it was. "They're pretty good at determining a person or animal's character, so if I find a kneazle that doesn't trust someone, I don't trust them either." She pulled out her _Encyclopedia_ again and summoned the information on the creatures. She opened the book and found an adorable cat-like being looking back. "Aww! Look at it!" She turned the book around to show the trio. They aww'd in agreement and Hermione squeezed Crookshanks closer.

The tension dissipated and Ron grabbed Scabbers when the skinny petrified rat poked his quivering nose out.

"Crookshanks? Mind not attacking him in the library?" Paige suggested without looking up when the cat growled upon spying the grey snout.

She caught the dirty look sent her way before hearing the grumble as the Familiar settled down on Hermione's lap.


	73. Chapter 72

As the first Hogsmeade weekend approached them, Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent a surprisingly small amount of time in the library, preferring to sit and do homework in the Gryffindor Common Room.

The Wednesday before everyone from Third year up went to Hogsmeade, Paige received a letter from Scott informing her that the team was headed to Hogsmeade themselves to check up on some new leads that had come up in a case they had recently started working on.

She read the letter over again, then picked up her own quill to pen her reply.

* * *

 _Scott Jensen  
Department of Independent Imperative Investigations  
British Ministry of Magic  
Great Britain_

 _Dear Scott,_

 _Thanks for notifying me of this, I'll try my best from Hogwarts to see what I can scare up. Thank you for keeping me up to date on this case. It's easily the biggest one we've worked on so far. Best of luck, and don't be afraid to take it easy while you're in Hogsmeade. If Cornelius scolds you about it, send him to me._

 _Kindest regards,_

 _Paige_

* * *

She set her quill down and looked at her writing. She sighed heavily before drying the ink with a quick spell and folding the letter to send. She scratched out Scott's mailing address on the envelope and took Nunu with her to the Owlery to mail it to her team.

"Long day?" Professor Lupin said, startling her from her thoughts. She blushed without realizing it, and she found herself grateful for the chilly day.

"Yeah, a bit," she said. She sent the owl and letter out into the mid afternoon light. "What brings you up here, Professor?"

He straightened from the doorpost he was leaned against. "I was looking for you, actually. Albus mentioned that he'd told you of my...uniqueness," he replied.

"Oh, yeah. He did. Even if he hadn't I would have known anyways," she said. His alarmed look prompted her to pull out her Glasses of Truth.

The moment he laid eyes on them he froze. "W-where did you get those?" he asked.

"My mother gave me this book just before she dropped me off to the Dursleys," she replied bringing out her _Encyclopedia_.

He sighed, a mixture of fear and relief on his face. "W-what are your thoughts on...?" he asked, giving her an uncertain look.

"Well, I'm of two minds of it, though I doubt you'd want me to discuss it here in the open where any could eavesdrop," she said. He blinked and looked around as though realizing their current rather public location.

"I see your point. Perhaps you'd like to speak with myself and Albus tomorrow, then?" he suggested.

"Why not now?" Professor Dumbledore suggested, startling them both. "Walk with me." They obeyed, looking at the ground as they followed the Headmaster to his office and entered.

They sat down in two of the three chairs, Nunu plopping her furry rump in the middle chair, stubbornly refusing to move. Almost companionable silence reigned for a spell before Remus broke the quiet.

"So, when did you tell her and why?" he asked Professor Dumbledore.

"I merely confirmed what she would have undoubtedly found out on her own, Remus," replied the Headmaster. "Besides, I think she may be able to help with your affliction." They eyes fell on a now beet red Paige.

She summoned her pockets and dug out the second care package from the Werewolf Society. Without a word or a look at him, she passed it over Nunu's head. Professor Lupin took it curiously. He opened it and began to read the Guide book.

Silence descended once more, interrupted by the occasional page being turned. She then realized that Professor Dumbledore may want to read what his Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was reading, so she held out her own moderately thumbed through Guide book.

He held up a hand and brought out his own book. "Got a letter from the Society?" He nodded. "They told you everything?"

"Not everything, but I was able to guess from what they did that you were given a rather massive task." He looked at her. She nodded.

Remus closed the book after reading it. He look a deep unsteady breath. "Were you going to mention this to me or not?" he asked Professor Dumbledore without looking directly at him.

"I was going to mention it in time, Remus," replied Professor Dumbledore. "The letter I received mentioned that the cure would grant you a fifty percent chance of being completely rid of your alternate form, the other fifty percent giving you the ability to maintain a sound mind and change at will between your two forms, though they cautioned that great anger would prompt a loss of control."

Remus was silent once more, staring hard at his knees, his chin quivering ever so slightly before he nodded a few times and stood, leaving without looking at anyone.


	74. Chapter 73

Paige was sitting in the library a few days later, alternating between doing some grunt work on the spell she and Harry were creating, and her homework for Charms, when Professor Lupin came in and found her. He leaned against the table she was seated at, surrounded by a castle of books, his thumbs hooked in his pockets, and waited for her to notice him.

She finally sensed someone was in her vicinity, watching her, and looked up in alarm. She relaxed when she saw her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. "Oh, hello, Professor Lupin," she said, slipping one of Hedwig's shed tail feathers into her notebook to keep her place. "How long were you standing there?"

"Only about a minute or so. I-What are you working on? Homework?" he asked.

"Yeah, and Harry and I are working on finishing some research Professor Dumbledore started into a spell for communication," she said. "He, Ron, and Hermione are off to Hogsmeade, so I thought I'd put my nose to the grindstone and get a good bit of progress done." She stood up and looked around, making sure no one was within hearing range. She dropped her voice to just above a whisper. "Have you thought about reaching out to the Society yet?"

His volume matched hers, though the timber made it carry. "Not yet," he said before looking around as a very slight echo reverberated back to them. "Walk with me."

She nodded and put her books and belongings away before bringing some textbooks to the front to check them out. She plopped them in an empty pocket before slipping her wand back into its holster. Their eyes met and then they headed out of the library by an unspoken agreement.

"I haven't reached out to them yet because I fear that if they write back, it'll wind up in the wrong hands. I just-I can't have anyone find out about my...issues," he said.

"If you've written a letter, I'll send it and write one of my own asking them to send the letter through the German Ministry," she said. "Most people know that the Ministry has basically claimed ownership of me after a few of the seventh years I taught last year started working there and spread the news about my teaching methods." She smiled to herself. "Thankfully, only Harry, Ron, and Hermione know about my career."

"Career?" he repeated. Then it clicked. "Oh, right. Your, heh, position."

"Yeah. I'd rather not have people pester me about my job, so I'm not letting anyone know about it," she said. "You keep that a secret, I'll keep yours?"

"Deal," he said, extending a hand to shake. They shook hands before continuing on their walk, her having to suppress a shudder of pleasure as their hands met. "So, when can I send the first letter?"

"As soon as you've got it written," she said. He took a step and a half, almost stumbling and slid an envelope to her. She felt her breath catch and her heart tremble with excitement. She forced her feelings back and stealthily put the letter into the inside pocket of her robes, thankful for the fact that Nunu was draped around her neck like honor tassels. "I'll send this off as soon as I can. I'll let you know when I hear back from them."

He snorted. "You mean _if_ you hear back from them," he muttered.

"No, I mean when." She braced herself and looked up at him. "They're trying to help as many people as possible who were affected by You-Know-Who and his minions." He gave her a dubious look. "Trust me, Professor. They'll get your problems fixed."

He smiled and nodded. "Right. Well, I'd best be getting ready, then," he said. There was no mistaking the excitement in his voice at the prospect of finally being rid of his lycanthropy. "And you'd best be getting back to your homework."

"Thank you, Professor. Have a good day," she said, heading back to the library.

Unfortunately, after her discussion with Professor Lupin, she couldn't focus on her homework. She kept replaying their encounter. The cadence of his voice, the way it moved through the air, and the feeling of how smooth yet strong his hands were. How had she not spontaneously combusted when they had touched? She shook her head sharply and glared inwardly at her naive girlish heart. She knew she didn't have a chance with him. He was old enough to be her father! Merlin's beard, if anyone other than the three who already caught on found out, either her father would go back to Azkaban for a murder he _actually_ committed, or Remus would be forced to resign, labelled a child peeper.

She had to get over her crush, and fast!


	75. Chapter 74

As Paige sat waiting for the mail to arrive one surprisingly sunny day, given typical Scottish weather, she felt her stomach turn over as the owls swooped in. She looked up and met Professor Lupin's eye, who glanced down from watching the mail carriers himself. They exchanged a quick smile before the letters began to fall.  
Paige picked up the first envelope addressed to her.

 _Gregori Swarofsky  
Ministry of Magic  
Germany_

 _Agatha Paige Black_  
 _Hogwarts_  
 _Great Britain_

She stood up and met the Defense professor's eye again, wobbling the letter slightly. He nodded and gathered the envelopes addressed to him before they both left, her casting a quick spell so that any letters or packages would drop into a sack she carried with her.

They met outside his office and nipped inside undetected. The excitement in the air was almost chaotic. They sat down and she opened it. Inside was a letter and another envelope, this one addressed to Professor Lupin from the Werewolf Society. She handed it to him and he eagerly ripped it open, reading through the letter enclosed.

Aside from some notes about her "commendable ability" to avoid suspicion, there wasn't much other than thanks for her instruction, so she opened another envelope and read the letter there. It was another thank-you note from someone whose case they'd taken on. She folded it and put it in her satchel just as Remus finished reading his letter.

"Good news, I hope?" Professor Dumbledore asked from the doorway.

"The best," Lupin said, grinning ear to ear. "They're sending a sample collection bundle in the next week or so, and they want me to send it back to them with some hair and skin, fur, or saliva from my alternate form. They said I'd need to refrain from drinking the wolfsbane potion to collect an accurate sample, though."

"Well, how are you to collect a sample in your alternate form? Would to be able to restrain yourself if someone else was in the room with you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Animagi help calm our minds," Lupin said. "Sirius is an unregistered Animagus, and Paige, while not an Animagus, can still turn into different animals, so she'd be able to help, I'm sure. The two of them combined would result in a tiresome, yet productive night."

Before he was finished speaking, Dumbledore was already shaking his head. "No, it's too dangerous, Remus, you know that," he said gently. "Unless they were somehow able to convince you to drink the potion while you were in your alternate form, you'd need to be in the Shrieking Shack for safety reasons."

"James, Sirius, and Peter were able to convince me to drink some pretty weird-" The door closed behind Paige as she made her way out of the office. She headed down to the Slytherin Common Room and from there to her trunk.

She pulled out the mirror.

"Dad," she said to it. Nothing happened. "Sirius." Again, nothing happened. "Sirius Black."

"Yes, yes, I'm here, Paige," he said as the mirror showed him. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"Mail time." He nodded in understanding. "I've been writing to a group in Germany about Professor Lupin, and Professor Dumbledore came in as he was reading about how he just needs to send a couple samples. He mentioned that you're an unregistered Animagus," she said. "Is it true? If so, I can't in good conscience, withhold this information from the Ministry for more than a week. I'll get someone from my team to bring you a registration form and help you fill it out. You'll go to Azkaban for six months if you don't get registered, Dad!"

"Okay, okay, my little fox. I'll get registered," he said.

"If it'd make you feel more comfortable, I'll keep the records in my office," she said. "That way, if anything goes awry and You Know Who springs back to life, you'd still be safe."

Sirius sighed and relented. "Now get back to class! Surely, the time for receiving post has passed," he said. She nodded and they ended the call. Satisfied with how everything turned out, she headed back to the Great Hall.


	76. Chapter 75

As Paige trotted down the hallway, Sirius beside her in his dog form, her ears danced unconsciously as her father's new Animagus tags clinked together. They weren't required, but he liked having them on so he could get used to the feel of them in case he did need them. They headed out of the front entrance where Lupin was waiting for them by the Whomping Willow.

"Paige, you're going to need to nip under the branches to hit that knothole there," he said, pointing at it. She sneezed as a bitter breeze wafted up her nose. She shook herself off then followed his instructions, Snape arriving not long after to hand over the wolfsbane potion. Remus brought it with him as they made their way to the Shrieking Shack.

Paige shook off the rucksack she had with her and brought out the containers for the samples, which had been dropped off about a week ago with clarifications as to whether they needed to be in the werewolf form or the human form. They sat down and Sirius turned into his human form, prompting anxious lip-licking from Paige.

"I've been here many times," he said to her.

Remus shivered. "About an hour left," he said, his tone sounding slightly less human as he scratched his cheek and upper arm. He wasn't in the mood to talk, so Sirius changed back into his animal form after cuddling with Paige until about five minutes before, when the transformation started affecting his childhood friend. Paige turned into a grizzly bear as Werewolf-Remus tore around the room.

 _I'm really sorry, Professor!_ she called before catching him with her paws and pinning him to the ground until he'd calmed down enough to be reasoned with, which took about two hours more.

 _Let's get those samples, and quickly,_ Sirius suggested, getting a tense nod from Remus. Paige turned into a Barbary macaque to allow her to collect the samples without overdoing anything.

She held out a cotton swab and swiped it around the inside of Remus' cheeks, prompting a mildly disturbed look from him. She closed it up in the container it was labeled under, then took out a pair of monkey-proof scissors. He turned his back and she trimmed some before he grabbed a few strands and plucked them from his skin.

 _They might need ones with the follicles,_ he growled, his voice sounding like bubbling lava, as they put them in the hair container.

Paige took out the letter and held it up to the moonlight, allowing her to read it. _Last thing is a blood sample,_ she chattered. She found the needle, then pulled out a razor along with a sanitizing wipe. _Now, how are we going to do this?_

Remus perked up. _You can hold me in place, like as a long snake or something, then maybe Sirius can turn into his human form to collect the blood?_ he suggested. They looked at him, edginess on their faces. _On second thought, forget that. I'll hold still while you shave my arm and get the sample._

She shaved him, very much aware of his hot breath and sharp teeth almost touching her head. At the application of the wipe, his teeth began to chatter. She pulled out the needle. _Sharp pinch!_ she warned just before feeling for a vein and inserting the needle. He growled slightly at the pain, but otherwise showed no outward distress. She popped the container onto the end of it and crimson blood flowed easily into the tube, filling it quickly.

She grabbed a cotton ball and popped off the container, which self-sealed before handing it to Sirius, who took it in his mouth very gingerly and set it beside the other samples. She pressed the cotton ball where the needle was sticking in and pulled the metal out, dropping it on the floor where it rolled under a nearby table. She looked around and reached for her bag, but couldn't quite grab it, so Remus put a massive paw over hers, nodding for her to get whatever it was in her bag that she felt they needed. She pulled out a half-used roll of Muggle medical tape and ripped off a three inch long strip to place over the cotton. He removed his paw and she pinned the white ball against his skin and over the needle mark, securing it in place with the sticky adhesive strip.

 _Now, the wolfsbane potion,_ Remus growled. She nodded and brought it over to him. He lapped it down, licking his lips afterward. Twenty minutes later he sighed with relief. _I think you guys can turn into your human forms now. I'm alright._

Paige turned into a grizzly again, ready to pin him in case he wasn't as alright as he thought. Sirius shifted into his human form and they both watched Remus. He made his way over to an old pillow and curled up on it, closing his eyes to sleep not long after. She resumed her fox form, and Sirius his dog form.

 _Off to bed then, my little fox,_ Sirius crooned. She nodded and turned into a sparrow to slip through the crack in the door that was little more than a small wedge broken off from years of opening and closing, slamming around in the wind, and being waterlogged when it rained. She made her way to the Slytherin Common Room, and from there to bed.


	77. Chapter 76

As the holidays drew near, Paige and Harry found themselves rather tense with each other over the whole spell situation, with her asking for him to spend even one Hogsmeade weekend helping her research for the spell and him telling her to shove off and let him have his fun.

In spite of their hostilities, they still planned on heading home for Christmas, spending it with Sirius and, to their surprise, Professor Lupin would be joining them, with clearance from Professor Dumbledore. They packed their belongings before Christmas break and headed to Platform 9 3/4 on the Hogwarts Express.

Lupin sat with Paige, alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Aside from a few teasing looks, which were slashed apart with glares, the most they talked about were how the lessons were progressing compared to how the Frontier was run.

They'd already written to Sirius and he said he'd get a car instead of bringing that ancient Inferi truck that was just barely held together by magic.

When they arrived they found a newer model PT Cruiser which, while not the prettiest thing, had plenty of legroom for Remus, who had to push his seat all the way back when they packed their trunks and Familiars and started driving.

"Unfortunately, I was only able to borrow this from Josiah until we reach his store, right outside the train station at home," Sirius said. "From there, we'll drive that rustbucket truck to and from the train."

"I could turn into a fox or something and sit on someone's lap," Paige suggested. Beside her in the back, Harry nudged her teasingly, prompting a resounding swat.

"Ow! Why did you punch me?!" he yowled. The two wizards in the front looked back, though Sirius had to look through the mirror.

"I did not! It was a swat!" Paige snapped. "If I _had_ punched you I'd have aimed for the head so you couldn't complain."

Remus and Sirius exchanged looks, the latter putting on the blinker and pulling off the road. He parked in a lot and turned around. "What's going on? This isn't like either of you," he said.

"Harry and I are making a spell, going off research Professor Dumbledore started, so I've been keeping him informed of what we-or I should be saying what _I_ found, since someone spends every waking moment seemingly avoiding the library," Paige said. Harry screeched like a scalded cat.

"I'm in my third year! You roped me into that stupid spell!" he hollered.

"Did not! You said you wanted in on it, or at least didn't say you didn't want to be a part of the creation of it!" Paige shouted back.

Harry was about to retort when Remus, red in the face from trying not to laugh, lunged back and grabbed his trunk, sitting on top of the others, right beside Hedwig's cage, and yanked it forward, obscuring the bickering pair's view of each other, effectively stopping the argument.

Sirius undid his seatbelt and turned around in his seat, standing on his knees. "I don't care who started it, just know this: if either of you start that fight back up again, you're _both_ grounded," he said. "Paige is right, Harry, you should have mentioned something if you didn't want in on the spellmaking. But, he's also right, Paige, you shouldn't expect so much from a third year student. Hogsmeade is a veritable treasure trove of things to find, snacks to eat, and places to explore." He looked between the pair of them after Remus shoved his trunk back up onto the pile. "That did sound like a hard hit, though, Paige. What method did you use? If it was a swat, I've never seen or heard one that solid before."

"It was a swat," she mumbled. "He's just a wuss when it comes to taking hits. He almost got into a fistfight with Draco Malfoy this year. Even though it was provoked, Mum told me that it takes more strength to walk away from a fight than to reach out and slap someone."

"You say when you started an argument with a Ministry employee who came to Hogwarts to continue the fight, only to get the smackdown of a lifetime when, after having a spell cast at her, you turned into a slew of animals to hand the employees ass to her," Harry snapped.

"Oy!" Sirius said, his voice low and warning, "We'll deal with that when we get home. No more fighting okay?" They sighed and turned to face the windows. "Good."

They pulled back onto the road and started to drive. Remus leaned over and dryly commented, "Imagine if they were both girls or both boys." Sirius chuckled.

"World War III," he replied. They both snickered and the group continued the path to home.


	78. Chapter 77

When Paige opened her eyes Christmas morning, it was because she heard a rhythmic thumping and was worried that either Harry had hit puberty, was hitting the wall, or that someone was watching her. She rolled toward the source of the noise and found Sirius in dog-form wagging his tail excitedly as he rested his chin on her bed, watching her. She returned to her fox form.

 _Please stop that, Dad,_ she whined.

 _Stop what?_ he asked, his tail wagging increasing in speed.

She sighed and buried herself under her pillow before rolling it over and launching it at him. He was caught off guard and it hit him square in the snout, prompting a little "yarp" of surprise.

She turned back into her human form before turning to her father, who was now on his knees in human form. "Did you have to wake me like that?" she asked.

"Did _you_ have to throw your pillow at me?" he returned, a bright smile on his face. In the few months she and Harry had been at Hogwarts, Sirius had drastically filled out, even gaining a little bit of a more rotund physique. The only exception was his face and fingers. They were still quite thin, though not as skeletal as when he had first got out of Azkaban, but not as thick as when he went in.

"Sorry about that. I do it to the girls in my dorm all the time, especially if one of them is snoring. LOUDLY," she said.

Sirius laughed. "Bad huh?" She nodded.

"I'm talking like foghorn in your ear loud," she said. "By the way, did you open your presents?"

"Not yet, we were all waiting downstairs for you," he said. "They sent me to get you because it would be odd for a teacher, regardless of whether he's currently educating you over Christmas holidays or not, to wake a student, and Remus and I both agreed that Harry would likely pick you up and throw you out the window, restarting the fight."

"Okay, but why didn't you shake my shoulder?" she asked.

He made as though to respond, stopped himself, looked at the bottom drawer of her nightstand, which was open with a thick fluffy pillow and a softly snoring Nunu in it. "Didn't think of it," he replied.

She laughed. From downstairs they heard an annoyed groan. "Hurry up!" Harry called.

"Shut up, Harry, or I'll stay up here for the whole break!" she answered.

"You wouldn't dare!" he growled.

"Try me," she teased. Sirius was red in the face from giggling as deliberately heavy stomping steps thundered toward her room. She leapt out of bed and threw on a house robe to wear downstairs, meeting Harry at the door.

"'Bout time," he grumbled.

They headed downstairs and gathered around a brightly decorated tree, which was mostly red and blue, but had a splash of shimmering green as well. With a wave of his wand, Sirius dispersed the presents to their owners, Remus getting a small pile, but Paige getting the most, and not just from her father, but also from former Frontier members who still remembered her teachings.

After opening their presents, Paige having learned how to knit and crochet after finding an old book called the Encyclopedia of Stitchery that had some of her mother's handwriting in it, they all sat around the table for breakfast, wearing their slippers, which were all wonky and warped as her stitches hadn't been as even as she'd wanted. An owl arrived, rapping rhythmically on the glass with its beak before Sirius went over, opening the window between the knocks. The bird stopped, opening its eyes before flying in and dropping the letters it had.

 _Gregori Swarofski_

 _Ministry of Magic_

 _Germany_

was the return address of one of the letters. She opened it, sliding the envelope under the table, where Nunu snagged it and carried it over to Remus, who opened it, removing his own letter, which he slipped into the folds of his robes to read later.

Around lunch Harry retreated to his room to work on the small amount of homework he had while Paige began moving the presents (mostly snacks or books) from under the tree, dropping off a sack full of Harry's before taking hers to her room and setting it on her bed to sort through later. She returned downstairs and heard Remus and Sirius whispering in the small bedroom just off the sitting room where Remus was sleeping. She knocked and they stopped, footsteps crossing to the door.

Remus opened it, saw it was her, and pulled her into the room. He was practically bouncing with excitement, almost unable to sit still when he sat down on the bed.

"I'm guessing from your demeanor the letter was some of the best kind?" she guessed.

"Nope. It _is_ the best kind," Remus replied. "I'm getting a cure!" He held out the letter for her to read herself.

She skimmed through it. "Oh..." she said. "It'll take two months, though."

"That's only because I'm not right there with them," he said. "I was informed of this in another letter."


	79. Chapter 78

The next morning, Paige awoke to a frantic rapping on her window. She panicked and looked blearily toward the window, where an owl wearing a Ministry vest was waiting. She opened her window and the owl dropped the letter off. She opened it and scanned it.

"Morning," Sirius greeted her. "Sleep well?" He stepped out of her way as she ran around, throwing on clothes after she read the letter. She headed for the door before skidding to a halt in front of the mirror. Her hair was a disaster. She hesitated for only a moment, then cast a quick spell to smooth it down before heading out the door once again. "Paige, wait!" She paused and turned to find him standing in the doorway. "Why the panic?"

"I'm late for work!" she called.

"But it's Christmas break! Didn't they give you a few days off?" he asked as he approached her.

"I thought so, but the letter I got this morning says I'm needed at the Ministry. I don't know what for, but it can't be anything good if they're bothering me the day after Christmas," she said before turning to continue her journey. She turned into a bird and started flying away. He quickly snatched her mid flight, much to her chirped annoyance.

"I'm coming with you," he said, turning her to face him. Her bird face fell into a rather annoyed expression as she twittered crossly.

"Where you two going?" Remus asked, Harry rubbing his eyes behind him.

"Paige has work," Sirius said holding her aloft.

"But it's Christmas break!" Harry protested.

Paige wriggled free and turned into her human form. "Ya think I don't know that?!" she snapped. "How do you think I feel, knowing that while I don't have much homework over the holidays, I have to work."

Harry looked at her, sympathy causing his brows to come together in concern. "But I was kinda hoping we could discuss a schedule for that spell," he said.

She sighed. "If I have enough energy when I get home, we'll discuss it, okay?" she said. They met in the middle of their distance and embraced.


	80. Chapter 79

When they finally arrived at the Ministry, Paige vaulted her desk and bolted out the door, joining Scott and the team before they all left the department and entered the Auror Department.

"Surprise!" shouted a hundred voices, causing everyone to freeze. Immediately after, water sprang from the wands pointed at them, soon drenching even the most protected in the group. After the water stopped falling, Paige pulled out her work wand and gathered the liquid from everyone, drying them off, and sent a massive orb over their attackers, dropping it not long after adding some of her own.

"Happy Christmas to you lot too," she grumbled. "Is that all you wanted?"

Rufus Scrimgeor stepped forward, water dripping off him so fast it was almost running off him. "Yeah, I did say that you'd get us back for it. Didn't know when or how, but I have no doubt in your abilities," he said.

After some awkward apologies, Paige and the others went home where they all sat down for some breakfast, and then into the sitting room.

Sirius looked down at Paige, who had turned into a fox once more and was starting to doze off again. She looked up at him sleepily when he shook her.  
"Want me to tell you more about your Mum and me?" he asked gently. She nodded, prompting a loving smile from him.

* * *

(-November 20, 1973-)

* * *

As they walked down the cobbled streets of Hogsmeade, Sirius and Adrienna held hands while heading to the Hogs Head. They entered the taverns and found a semi-private booth where they placed their orders.

After their drinks came out, both getting butterbeer, they settled into a comfortable discussion about _The Chrysalids_.

They were just beginning to talk about each other, using the story elements as jumping off points, when James waltzed in, Remus and Peter both dragging on him and protesting as he yanked them over to the booth beside the pair.

"Relax, mates," they heard him reassure them. "Just gonna hit the loo." He stood, bringing a book with him. He dumped it in front of Adrienna as he passed their table, causing Sirius to sit ramrod straight, as stiff as one awaiting consequences. His head was spinning, and as she looked at the book, which had fallen open, he felt the color drain from his face. It was his sketchbook.

Remus finally dragged James away from the table, which snapped Sirius out his frozen state. He felt his face grow as hot as a fire, surprised when she didn't immediately get a glass of water to cool him off. He tried not to stare at her, instead fixing his gaze on his butterbeer, which seemed about ready to evaporate. He took a drink and was just setting his glass down when she excused herself to the restroom, leaving the book behind.

Once she was out of sight, he got up and stormed over to James' table where Remus and Peter were looking at Sirius nervously while James seemed quite pleased with himself, smugness emanating from every pore.

By the time Adrienna returned from the restroom, Sirius and James were in a full on fistfight. Remus helped her escape while Peter ran for a teacher.  
Professor Dumbledore broke them apart with a quick spell. "What's the meaning of this?!" he demanded.

Remus spoke for both of them. "Sirius was here on a date and James humiliated him by showing the girl he was here with a sketchbook full of drawings he's done that are of her," he said before pausing for a breather.


	81. Chapter 80

When the fight was broken up, Sirius was lead off to calm down and have his wounds tended while James was given a stern look by Professor McGonagall.

"That was foolish, Mr. Potter," she tutted at last. "I've seen the way you look at Ms. Evans. How does this look now? Mr. Black softened enough to get a date with a girl he fancied. Perhaps you could learn something from him."

James snorted. Before he could say anything, he, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Adrienna were all whisked away to Professor Dumbledore's office.

The Headmaster sat behind his desk looking over his half-moon spectacles and the scene before him: Sirius giving James glares sharp enough to slice through steel beams, James shooting his own glares back, though most of those were aimed at Adrienna, who had parked herself between the two feuding boys so Remus, whose scars hinted that he had fought or broken up many fights, wouldn't have to. Peter sat on James' other side, looking at the ground, occasionally sneaking looks around before returning to stare at his favorite looking spot.

Remus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose when James snickered, prompting Sirius to half rise out of his chair.

"So," Professor Dumbledore said at last, breaking the silence. "You two-" He pointed between James and Sirius. "-were in a fight over a girl." James lurched forward, clutching the arms of the chair.

"Not over her! Why the bloody hell would I want _her_?! She's nothing but trouble, Professor, and I don't see why Sirius is so obsessed with her, which she now knows," James said, earning another blazing glare from a trembling Sirius.

"Thank you for your input, James. Sirius, do you have any input?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"I do, Professor." He shifted in his seat to face James and, as a by product, see Adrienna's reactions. "I don't know why I'm infatuated with her, but I know that if I lost her for good, I'd be completely done for. _You_ might not understand that, seeing as you have a pea sized heart about such matters, but _I_ for one, would rather get to know her before fantasizing about her, unlike some people." Adrienna's eyes had been studying his face for a time while he defended her. Her expression went from scolded puppy to hopeful.

A smile graced Dumbledore's face. He chuckled lightly before giving Sirius and James detention.

"Ms. Hortace, would you perhaps like to help Professor Slughorn? He mentioned how organized you are, and asked for you specifically. Not as punishment, mind you," he added when she gave him a worried look.

"Oh, um... Okay, Professor," she said. "Do...I, um...go now or...?"

"You are dismissed," Dumbledore said, nodding his head. She got up and left. "James, Professor McGonagall requested that you serve your detention with her. Go now."

"He threw the first punch!" James protested. "All I did was inform the girl he was with that he was drawing her." Dumbledore cleared his throat, raising his eyebrows a fraction. "Going now." He rose and left as well.

"Peter, Remus, I know you're both concerned, but don't worry. Everything will work itself out in the end," Dumbledore said. Peter and Remus got up and left, leaving only Sirius. "Professor Slughorn also requested that you serve your detention with him. He said you are not to bother Adrienna, but that he will give you further instructions when you see him. You know fighting is strictly prohibited."

"I know, Professor. I'm sorry," he said, folding his hands in his lap. "I don't even remember throwing that punch. It was just a reactionary thing. But it was also wrong."

"I understand. Go now, Sirius. And, best of luck with her," Dumbledore said, a knowing twinkle in his eye.

* * *

When Sirius made his way to Professor Slughorn's office, he was informed that his punishment was to scrub out cauldrons without magic.

He took off the top robe, revealing the simple white button down shirt and smart looking trousers. Embroidered on the breast pocket was the Gryffindor crest. He hung his robe up and set to work, using a scrub brush to scour the inside and outside of the first cauldron.

"Thank you," he heard Adrienna's voice reverberate inside the cauldron he was up to his armpits in.

* * *

(Stop laughing, Remus, it's a fact. I was headfirst in a cauldron scrubbing it out!)

* * *

He hit his head a couple times before popping out. She charmed up an ice pack for him to hold to his head, and knelt beside him, taking the hand that was pressed to the bumps and replacing it with the ice pack before returning his hand to its previous spot, though pinning the ice pack in place.

"For what?" he asked, wincing slightly as the ice pack expressed the place that would soon swell into a goose egg. "Sticking up for you?"

"For making me feel like I matter," she said. He stared at her. "It's not that Dad doesn't love me, and I know he does, it's just that Velma's got me almost convinced that it's due to obligation, like parent-child relationship, not because he genuinely cares. You fighting James, it was brave. Stupid, but brave."

"Of course you matter. And your father loves you because you're his daughter. You're very special, and wonderful, and funny, and beautiful-" He clapped a hand over his mouth, instantly displaying his Gryffindor pride, while also feeling as though his face was being used for dragon target practice.

She smiled. "Thank you," she said. She brushed a small clump of hair from his face, making him stiffen up. Hearing footsteps, she looked towards the door. "I'll let you get back to your scrubbing. I'm just about done with organizing one wall of potion ingredients." She stood and returned to the closet. "And your head should be okay for now. You can take the ice pack away now."

He nodded, sticking it into the pocket of his robe.


End file.
